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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Holy Cross
Men's Basketball Hangs On for 56-53 Win at Holy Cross
December 01, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 1, 2004
Box Score
WORCESTER, Mass. - Princeton didn't want a repeat of the ending of its game against Holy Cross from two seasons ago. Thanks to four clutch free throws in the final 24 seconds and an off-the-mark three-point shot from the Crusaders at the final buzzer, the Tigers got out of the Hart Center this time with a win.
Matt Sargeant and Scott Greenman each made two free throws in the final seconds, and Torey Thomas' off-balance three-point shot hit nothing but air at the buzzer, and this time the Tigers had a 56-53 win over the Crusaders in a game that probably never should have gotten that close. "We played a great game for 35 minutes," said Princeton head coach Joe Scott, who watched from the sideline as Princeton's opponent had a game-tying attempt at the buzzer for the second straight game. "We need to play a great game for all 40 minutes, and then maybe we win by double digits in this game."
Holy Cross had the ball with six seconds left down 56-53, but Max Schafer then fouled Thomas in the backcourt with 2.7 on the clock. Thomas missed the first shot and then the second intentionally, and the Crusaders' John Hurley tipped the ball back out to Thomas, whose shot from the left baseline fell short as time expired.
Princeton (3-2) led by 10 points, 48-38, with 4:49 left after a Mike Stephens layup. The Tigers then took a nine-point lead, 52-43, with 2:39 left when Scott Greenman hit the last of his four three-point shots. But that was when the Crusaders (3-1) used some pressure defense and big plays by guard Greg Kinsey to immediately get back into the game.
Nate Lufkin's two free throws with 2:20 left pulled the Crusaders within 52-45, and Kinsey then hit a big three-pointer from the right wing after Princeton turned the ball over on the other end. Kinsey's layup for Holy Cross after another Princeton turnover and foul pulled Holy Cross within 52-50, and the Crusaders then had a chance to tie the game 50 seconds later when Judson Wallace fouled Thomas in the backcourt after another turnover.
Thomas made only the second free throw, however, and Sargeant then hit two free throws for Princeton to put the Tigers ahead 54-51. Kinsey could manage only a layup for the Crusaders the next time down, and Greenman's two free throws put the Tigers back ahead by three.
Greenman, who entered the game with four three-point shots in four games, hit four of his 10 attempts from beyond the arc Wednesday and finished with a career-high 17 points.
"I've been working hard on my shooting since I've struggled early on," said Greenman, who led Princeton with 42 three-pointers last year. "But like Coach Scott said in the locker room, we have to develop a mentality to put teams away when we get a 10-point lead late."
Wallace had a season-high 14 points as well as seven rebounds for the Tigers, who improved to 7-2 all-time against the Crusaders.
"I think I played with a little more aggressiveness and confidence tonight," said Wallace, who had a career-high 31 points against Holy Cross last year. "The crowd was really into it and that gave me a little more energy."
Keith Simmons came off the bench to lead Holy Cross with 12 points, 10 of which came in the second half.
Down 27-21 at halftime, the Crusaders tried pressure defense in the second half and proved to be somewhat successful with it, forcing eight Tiger second-half turnovers, including several in its late-game comeback. Still, when Will Venable scored with 8:14 left, Princeton appeared to have a comfortable 46-36 lead.
"We're in good shape at 3-2 after five games away from home," said Scott, who coaches his first game at Jadwin Gymnasium next Wednesday against Rutgers. "We got two road wins the last two games, and you're always happy with that even though we didn't close this one well."