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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Wyoming
Wyoming Escapes with 64-59 Double Overtime Victory over Tigers
November 22, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 23, 2004
Box Score
LARAMIE, Wyo. - Three seasons ago, Joe Scott led his underdog Air Force team to a near upset of top-seeded Wyoming in the Mountain West Conference tournament only to fall just short in a quadruple-overtime thriller. Monday night in Laramie, a Princeton team that wasn't nearly as much as an underdog nearly reversed that result before coming up just a little bit short in another multiple-overtime game.
Wyoming made seven of 10 free throws in the second overtime and 32 of 45 free-throw attempts for the game, outscoring the Tigers 7-2 in the final five minutes on the way to a 64-59 double OT win. But even in defeat, Scott knew the teams had combined for an early-season classic.
"It's great that on November 22, you can get a game like this with this kind of intensity," said Scott, who had coached against Wyoming nine times while Air Force's head coach. "I'm glad we played the game, and I think Steve (McClain, Wyoming's head coach) feels the same way." The 50-minute game, Princeton's first double-overtime game on the road since 1994, was a seesaw affair that saw neither team take true control at any point. Neither team had more than a seven-point lead at any time in the game, though it was the Tigers (1-2) who forced overtime after falling behind in the final seven minutes.
Princeton trailed 45-41 with 6:06 left and went nearly six minutes without a field goal, but Will Venable got the Tigers closer by breaking that scoring drought with a layup with 4:20 left to get Princeton within two. The Tigers then trailed 49-46 with under three minutes left, but Judson Wallace's dunk on an inbounds play pulled Princeton with 49-48 with 1:38 left. Wallace then made one of two free throws with 43 seconds left to tie the game at 49, and Princeton forced a turnover on the final Wyoming possession to send the game to overtime.
In the first overtime, Scott Greenman's three-point shot from the left wing with 1:30 left put the Tigers ahead 57-55. But Wyoming's Alex Dunn was then fouled on an offensive rebound with 58 seconds left, and Dunn hit the two free throws to tie the game. Dunn then had another opportunity in the final seconds of the first overtime, but his putback attempt of a Jay Straight miss was off the mark and the game went to a second extra session.
Venable had all of his team-high 17 points in the second half and overtime, including a stretch where he scored 13 consecutive points for Princeton in the middle of the second half. Freshman Noah Savage helped the Tigers gain an early advantage, scoring eight of his 12 points in the first half.
Leven and Straight, Wyoming's starting backcourt, combined to shoot 24 for 35 from the free-throw line to help the Cowboys improve to 2-0. Princeton shot just 8 for 15 from the line and three Tigers fouled out of the game.
The Tigers broke open a tight game early with a 12-5 run midway through the first half. Wallace's driving layup gave Princeton a 17-10 lead with 7:05 left in the half, but Wyoming then used a 9-0 run to take a halftime lead of 25-22. Wyoming then led by seven early in the second half before the Tigers made a comeback.
Princeton held the Cowboys to just 34% shooting on the night, including 33% in the first half. Dunn had a game-high 15 rebounds as the Cowboys outrebounded the Tigers 38-30, including 11-6 on the offensive glass.
Wallace scored 11 points and added five rebounds for Princeton, which was meeting Wyoming for the first time.