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Princeton University Athletics
Back at Home, Tigers Look to Get Back on Track
December 30, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 30, 2004
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After a pair of games at UTEP's Sun Bowl Tournament that produced mixed results, the Princeton men's basketball team won't have to wait very long to tip it up again. Less than 72 hours after the final buzzer in a loss to UTEP, and less than 48 hours after touching down at Newark Airport, the Tigers host Loyola at Jadwin Gym on New Year's Eve (2 p.m., WHWH-AM 1350, GoPrincetonTigers.com).
Princeton (6-4) found out what a home court can do for a team at UTEP, and the Tigers truly get to find out what it means for them beginning Friday. After starting the season with nine games away from home in their first 10 games, Princeton plays five of its next six games at home.
Senior center Judson Wallace was on fire for the Tigers from long range in both games at UTEP, making seven consecutive three-point shots and scoring 39 points in the two games, earning All-Tournament team honors. Wallace, who celebrates his 22nd birthday Friday, is averaging nearly 17 points and seven rebounds per game in Princeton's last six games.
Loyola (1-7), under first-year head coach Jimmy Patsos, a 13-year assistant coach at Maryland, hasn't played since falling at local rival UMBC Dec. 21. The new head coach will likely start three freshmen Friday afternoon.
The Tigers host Davidson at Jadwin Gym Sunday afternoon before heading to Duke Jan. 5 for their final game before first-semester exams and intercession.
NOTE OF THE DAY
Happy Returns Princeton returns home to play Loyola after playing nine of its first 10 games away from Jadwin Gym. The Tigers now play five of their next six games on their home court.
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
Happy New Year Princeton is playing on New Year's Eve for the first time since 1999, when the Tigers defeated Holy Cross at Jadwin Gym on Dec. 31.
Happy Birthday Today's is Princeton center Judson Wallace's 22nd birthday. Wallace is Princeton's leading scorer (14.1 ppg) and rebounder (5.2 rpg) through 10 games this season.
A Stretch Run Princeton is in the midst of a stretch in which it plays five games in 10 days. The Tigers played Monday and Tuesday in El Paso, play today and Sunday at home and then visit Duke on Wednesday.
Dialing Long Distance 56% of Princeton's field-goal attempts this season (225 of 401) have come from three-point range.The Tigers have taken more than half of their shots from three-point range six times in 10 games.
The Number Three Princeton is 4-0 this season when taking 50% or fewer of its shots from three-point range. The Tigers are 2-4 this season when taking more than half of their shots from beyond the arc.
Tough to Score Princeton's 10 opponents have averaged just 34 points per game from the field this year. Tiger opponents have more free throws (175) than field goals (152) this season.
Even Tougher to Score Princeton has held an opponent to six field goals or fewer in a half seven times in its last seven games, including both halves at Temple Dec. 20.
Great Starts Princeton jumped to a 20-2 lead against Tulane in the first eight minutes of that game. The Tigers jumped to a 19-12 lead at UTEP in the first eight minutes of that game.
PRINCETON & LOYOLA--THINGS TO KNOW
Margin Calls Princeton's 20-point win at Loyola last season was its biggest road win since a 22-point victory at Brown on Feb. 13, 1999.
MAAC Daddies Princeton is 33-6 all-time against the 10 current schools in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), of which Loyola is a member.
Seen It Before Loyola head coach Jimmy Patsos coached against Princeton twice while an assistant coach at Maryland the past 13 seasons.
Style Points Princeton is allowing 51.8 points per game and was ranked third nationally in that category last week. Loyola is allowing 80.1 points per game.
Get Your Rest Princeton played on Monday and Tuesday and travelled Wednesday. Loyola has not played since Dec. 21, when the Greyhounds lost to crosstown rival UMBC.
TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES
Back in Action Luke Owings returned from a stress fracture in his left foot to play in both of Princeton's games at the Sun Bowl Tournament. Owings played 11 minutes in each game.
Back in Action 2 Andre Logan returned against Temple, playing 14 minutes, after missing Princeton's first seven games due to knee surgery. Logan started 20 games a year ago, averaging 8.2 points.
The 500 Club Princeton has made at least one three-point shot in all 504 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.
More Long Distance Princeton made 13 of 26 three-point attempts in its first 30 minutes of action at UTEP, then made just 2 of 17 three-point attempts in the second half against UTEP.
Out of the Gates Princeton made eight of its first 10 shots to take a 20-2 lead over Tulane and six of its first eight shots to take a 19-12 lead over UTEP at the Sun Bowl Tournament.
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.
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 ESPN when it plays at Duke Jan. 5. The Tigers also appeared on ESPN2 Dec. 20 when they faced Temple in Philadelphia.
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
Arc Madness Judson Wallace made seven consecutive three-point shots in Princeton's games against Tulane and UTEP before missing his first "three" of the second half against the Miners.
Back on Track Judson Wallace is averaging 16.8 points and 7.0 rebounds in Princeton's last six games.
Milestone Year? Judson Wallace needs just 110 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.
Perfection Will Venable was 5-for-5 from the field against Tulane. Venable was also 5-for-5 from the field in a game at Syracuse earlier in the season.
Mr. Versatility Will Venable ranks in the Top 10 in the Ivy League in assists, rebounds and steals.
National Pastime Will Venable was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 15th round of the 2004 MLB Entry Draft after hitting .344 in 96 at-bats for Princeton in 2004.
Taking Care of It Scott Greenman has just 35 turnovers in 38 games the last two seasons. Greenman has a team-high 26 assists and just nine turnovers in 10 games this year.
Deep Thoughts Scott Greenman has attempted 45 three-point shots in Princeton's last six games (7.5 3-pt. attempts per game).
More From Deep 203 of Scott Greenman's 285 career field-goal attempts (71%) have come from three-point range, including 61 of 77 (79%) this season.
I'm Honored, Again Noah Savage was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the second time this season Dec. 21. Savage had a team-high 12 points against Temple Dec. 20.
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 University campus.
Start Me Up Matt Sargeant's had a season-high four rebounds against Tulane. Sargeant is averaging 25 minutes per game since entering the starting lineup six games ago.
Super Sub Mike Stephens has played 23 or more minutes off the bench five times in 10 games.
He's Our Center 6-10 center Mike Stephens has made 4 of his 11 three-point attempts this season and has 13 assists against just eight turnovers.
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.
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 a knee injury.
He's A Player Andre Logan was leading the team in scoring when he first sustained a torn ACL in Jan. 2002. He was then averaging 12 points per game in 2002-03 before his season ended after three games.
Time Chart Guard Max Schafer has played in nine games off the bench this year. He started the final six games last year due to an injury to starting guard Ed Persia.