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Princeton University Athletics
Tigers Head Down the Shore for Meeting with Monmouth
December 10, 2004 | Men's Basketball
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Dec. 10, 2004
After vanquishing one New Jersey rival with a win over Rutgers at Jadwin Gym Wednesday night, the Princeton men's basketball team gets another chance at a state rivalry when the Tigers visit Monmouth Sunday afternoon. Game time at Boylan Gym in W. Long Branch, N.J., is 4 p.m. (WHWH-AM 1350, GoPrincetonTigers.com).
A Princeton win Sunday would be an historic one, the 1,500th in the storied history of the program. Only 13 other programs in NCAA Division I have reached the 1,500-win plateau.
Tiger head coach Joe Scott, who grew up 30 miles down the shore from Monmouth and worked as an assistant coach for the Hawks in 1991-92, brings a Princeton (4-2) team on a three-game winning streak into Boylan Gym. The Tigers are back on the road for the first of four straight games away from Jadwin Gym.
Monmouth fell to 1-5 on the season with a 70-50 loss at Villanova Tuesday night.
This is the 10th consecutive year that Princeton and Monmouth have met in men's basketball, and the Tigers have won seven times in those nine games. Princeton used a second-half run to pull away from the Hawks this past January by a 67-52 score at Jadwin Gym.
The Tigers held Rutgers to just 4-for-20 shooting in the second half on the way to a 53-40 win over the Scarlet Knights Wednesday. Princeton center Judson Wallace had 18 points and 11 rebounds to help the Tigers to their first win over Rutgers since the 1999-2000 season.
NOTE OF THE DAY
Just One Short Princeton needs just one win to become the 14th program in NCAA Division I history with 1,500 victories (see list on page 2).
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
Thanks for the Help Princeton has assists on 69% of its baskets this season (72 of 105), including 35 of its 47 baskets (75%) in its last three games, all victories.
Rebounding Nicely Princeton had 14 offensive rebounds against Rutgers Wednesday; the Tigers had 22 offensive rebounds combined in their first five games.
Balancing Act Five different players have led Princeton in scoring in its first six games. Luke Owings had 21 vs. Bucknell, Will Venable had 17 vs. Syracuse and Wyoming. Noah Savage had 13 vs. Lafayette, Scott Greenman had 17 at Holy Cross and Judson Wallace scored 18 points against Rutgers.
Getting Defensive Princeton held Rutgers to just one field goal in the final 13:34 Wednesday night. The Tigers haven't allowed more than 56 points in regulation time this season.
More Defense Princeton opponents are averaging just 34 points per game from the field through six games. Tiger opponents have more free throws (95) than field goals (91) this season.
Three-Mendous 56% of Princeton's field-goal attempts this season (140 of 251) have come from three-point range.
More From Three 35 of Princeton's 47 field-goal attempts against Rutgers came from three-point range, just four attempts short of the school record of 39 set against Fresno State in 1995.
Hitting the Road Princeton played its first five games away from home and now has four consecutive games away from home before returning to Jadwin Gym for a game against Loyola (Md.) Dec. 31.
PRINCETON-MONMOUTH-THE SERIES
Another Jersey Rivalry Princeton and Monmouth have now played each of the last 10 years. The Tigers have won seven of the last eight meetings between the teams.
The Monmouth Miracle Princeton defeated Monmouth at Boylan Gym two seasons ago, 60-57, when Ed Persia hit an 80-foot desperation shot as time expired.
Just Take the Parkway Princeton head coach Joe Scott grew up in Pelican Island, a Barnegat Bay town 30 miles down the Jersey Shore from Monmouth. Scott was also a volunteer assistant coach at Monmouth during the 1991-92 season.
Close, or Not Close All of Princeton's seven wins against Monmouth in the last eight seasons have either come by either six points or less or by 15 points or more.
Game of Champions Both Princeton and Monmouth won conference titles and earned NCAA tournament bids last season.
TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES
Injury Report Luke Owings has a stress fracture in his left foot and will likely be sidelined for two more weeks. Owings started Princeton's first four games and is averaging 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Injury Report 2 Andre Logan, a starter last year, had his third knee surgery Nov. 5 and has missed Princeton's first five games. Logan may return as early as Princeton's game at Temple Dec. 20.
Seven is Enough Princeton has played just seven players in each of its last two games. Max Schafer and Mike Stephens have been the only reserves to have played in those games.
Good Things Come in Threes Six different Princeton players have made at least four three-point shots this season.
Coach Speak Joe Scott returned to Princeton in April after four years as head coach at Air Force. Scott was the Mountain West Conference "Coach of the Year" last season after leading the Falcons to their first NCAA tournament in 42 years.
The 500 Club Princeton has made at least one three-point shot in all 500 of its games since the rule came into effect for the 1986-87 season. The Tigers, along with Vanderbilt and UNLV, are the only schools to have made at least one three-pointer in every one of their games in that time..
We're Honored Princeton has two returning first-team All-Ivy players (Judson Wallace, Will Venable) for the first time since the 1996-97 season, when Steve Goodrich and Sydney Johnson returned.
Election Year Princeton was among 46 teams receiving at least one vote in the preseason USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll that was released in late October.
Exit Polls The Tigers were chosen to win the Ivy League for the second straight year in a preseason media poll. Princeton was chosen first on 14 of 16 ballots in the poll.
Senior Moments Princeton has five seniors this season (Berger, Logan, Stephens, Venable, Wallace), its largest senior class since the 1997-98 season, when the Tigers finished 27-2.
Just Like This Year Princeton finished third nationally in scoring defense and 14th nationally in team field-goal percentage last season.
Conference Call Princeton finished its 2003-04 conference season with at least a .500 record for the 51st straight year, a current streak more than twice as long as any other team in NCAA Division I (Syracuse has the second-longest streak).
TV Stars Princeton will appear on ESPN2 against Temple Dec. 20 and ESPN at Duke Jan. 5. The Tigers also have one more nationally-televised game on CSTV--against Penn March 8 at Jadwin Gym.
On Schedule Princeton has played a team that eventually reached the Final Four in each of the last four seasons (Duke in 2001, Maryland in 2002, Texas in 2003 and Duke in 2004).
PLAYER NOTES & ANECDOTES
Mr. Versatility Will Venable is averaging 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game in Princeton's last three games, all wins.
40-40 Vision Will Venable has played all 40 minutes in each of Princeton's last two games. Venable has played 232 of a possible 250 minutes this season.
National Pastime Will Venable also helped the Princeton baseball team to the NCAA tournament in 2004, hitting .344 in 96 at-bats after the conclusion of basketball season.
Back on Track Judson Wallace is averaging 13.2 points in Princeton's last five games.
Milestone Year? Judson Wallace needs just 181 points to reach the 1,000-point mark for his career. He would become just the 25th Princeton player to score 1,000 career points.
Double Vision Judson Wallace had his fourth career "double-double" in the win over Rutgers, scoring 18 points and adding 11 rebounds.
Deep Thoughts Scott Greenman has taken 20 three-point shots in Princeton's last two games.
Taking Care of It Scott Greenman has just 33 turnovers in 34 games the last two seasons. Greenman has a team-high 16 assists and just seven turnovers in six games this year.
From Way Downtown Scott Greenman led the Tigers with 42 three-point shots last season. Greenman has at least two three-pointers in 18 of Princeton's last 34 games over the last two years.
Notes on Noah Noah Savage is averaging 11.5 points per game in his last four games. Savage is shooting 11 for 24 (45.8%) from three-point range.
Home Games Noah Savage is a Princeton resident who played basketball at The Hun School, just a mile or so down U.S. Route 206 from the Princeton campus.
He's Our Center 6-10 center Mike Stephens has 10 assists and just one turnover in 113 minutes this season. Stephens is also second on the team with five blocked shots.
Super Sub Mike Stephens has played 22 or more minutes off the bench in three of Princeton's six games this year.
21-Point Salute Luke Owings scored 21 points in his first career start, Princeton's 61-48 season-opening win against Bucknell Nov. 11.
Smart Guy Luke Owings was the valedictorian of his high school class at Washington, D.C.'s, Gonzaga College Prep, the same high school attended by former Princeton coach John Thompson.
Start Me Up Matt Sargeant made his first career three-pointer in Princeton's win over Rutgers and played a season-high 28 minutes against the Scarlet Knights.
Time Chart Guard Max Schafer has played in all six games off the bench this year. He started the final six games last year due to an injury to starting guard Ed Persia.
He Was Back on Court Andre Logan played in 26 of 28 games last year after missing 40 of the previous 43 Princeton games due to knee injuries, but Logan had missed the first six games this year.
Logan's Run Andre Logan is in his fifth year of eligibility. He was awarded a fifth year after missing all but three games in 2002-03 due to injury.