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Princeton University Athletics
Tigers Face Texas in NCAA First Round at Denver's Pepsi Center
March 15, 2004 | Men's Basketball
March 15, 2004
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Princeton faces a relatively familiar opponent in Thursday's NCAA first round in Denver--Texas, whom the Tigers faced last season in Austin. Texas won 57-54 when Ed Persia's three-point attempt for Princeton at the buzzer was off the mark.
The Tigers have never faced the Longhorns in the NCAA tournament but have a 4-1 record against Texas in games played at neutral sites. Princeton leads the all-time series, 4-3.
North Carolina and Air Force play in the nightcap of the Atlanta regional doubleheader in Denver. The Tigers faced North Carolina in the first round of the 2001 NCAA tournament. Air Force is coached by former Princeton assistant coach and point guard Joe Scott '87.
NOTE OF THE DAY
All For Neutrality -- Princeton is 4-1 all-time against Texas on neutral courts. The Tigers defeated the Longhorns in both 1998 (Rainbow Classic) and 1997 (Coaches vs. Cancer) on neutral courts.
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
Close Call -- Princeton lost at Texas by a 57-54 score last season. The Tigers led at halftime and with less than five minutes left, but Ed Persia's three-point shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game was no good.
60-60 Proposition -- Princeton is 17-0 this season when its scores 60 or more points and 3-7 when its scores 59 or fewer. 50-50 Proposition -- Princeton has shot 50% or better from the field in 13 of its 27 games this season and has a perfect 13-0 record in those games.
Pulling Rank -- Princeton ranks second in the nation in scoring defense (56.5) and 11th in the country in team field-goal percentage (48.6%).
Close Calls -- Five of Princeton's seven losses in the regular season came by four points or less, and the Tigers had a chance to win or tie each of those five games in the final two minutes.
Numbers Game -- Princeton has never been a No. 14 seed in the NCAA tournament before this season. The Tigers were a No. 13 seed when they beat No. 4 UCLA in the first round in 1996.
To the Nines -- Princeton has won nine straight games, the team's longest winning streak since a 10-game streak during the 1998-99 season.
Go West, Young Men -- Princeton, located in Central New Jersey, has already traveled to Fresno, Calif., Oklahoma City, Okla. and Minneapolis, Minn., for games this season.
MORE TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES
It's March...-- Princeton has reached the NCAA tournament 23 times. Only 16 other schools in Division I have made more appearances in the tournament.
It's March II -- Five of the Tigers' eight losses in the NCAA tournament since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985 have come by seven points or less. Princeton is 13-26 all-time in the NCAA tournament.
It's March III -- Princeton has now reached the postseason eight times in the last nine years. The Tigers reached the NCAA tournament in 1996, 1997, 1998 and the 2001 and the NIT in 1999, 2000 and 2002.
It's March IV -- Either Princeton (1989, ?90, ?91, ?92, ?96, ?97, ?98, 2001, '03) or Penn (1993, ?94, ?95, ?99, 2000, ?02, ?03) has been the Ivy League's NCAA tournament representative in each of the last 16 seasons.
It's March V -- Princeton has two players on its current roster who have played in the NCAA tournament. Ed Persia and Andre Logan were freshmen on the 2000-01 team that played North Carolina.
It's March VI -- The Ivy League is the only league among the 31 conferences in NCAA Division I that does not use a postseason tournament to determine its automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament.
Injury Report -- Starting guard Ed Persia, a Texas native, missed the last five games of the regular season due to a deep thigh bruise but should return for the NCAA tournament.
Conference Call -- Princeton finished its 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 is next).
By the Numbers -- Princeton has now won at least 16 games in 18 straight seasons and has 10 or more Ivy League wins in 11 straight seasons.
The Streak Continues! -- Princeton, along with Vanderbilt and UNLV, are the only teams to have made at least one three-point shot in every game since the rule came into effect for the 1986-87 season. The Tigers' streak currently stands at 493 games.
Against the Big XII -- The Tigers lost to No. 7 Oklahoma by a 58-55 score in Oklahoma City Jan. 3. Princeton led at halftime, but Ed Persia's three-pointer that would have tied the game at the buzzer was no good.
Board Work -- Princeton has outrebounded its opponents for a season for just the second time in the last 30 seasons. The Tigers outrebounded Ivy League opponents by nearly eight rebounds per game.
On Schedule -- The Tigers have played a team that reached the Final Four in each of the past three seasons. Princeton played Duke in 2000-2001, Maryland in 2001-02 and Texas last season.
Atop the Ivy -- Princeton won the Ivy League by three games over both Penn and Brown. The Tigers finished 13-1 in league play for the sixth time in school history.
For What It's Worth -- Princeton didn't play a game on a Thursday during the regular season.
If It Get's Tight -- The Tigers are 3-0 in overtime this season and 8-5 in games decided by 10 points or less.
History Lesson - Princeton is the last Ivy League team to win an NCAA tournament game. The Tigers defeated UNLV in the 1998 first round before falling to Michigan State in the second round.
We Meet Again -- Air Force head coach Joe Scott, whose team plays in Denver immediately following Princeton, is a former Princeton assistant coach and played point guard for the Tigers from 1983-87.
The Head Man -- John Thompson had led the Tigers to three Ivy League titles, two NCAA berths and three postseason appearances overall in his first four years as Princeton head coach.
I'm Honored -- Judson Wallace and Will Venable each earned first-team All-Ivy League honors for Princeton, the first time since 1998-99 that two Tigers earned first-team all-league honors.
Defensiveness-- Princeton allowed 52 points or fewer in seven of its 14 Ivy League games.
MORE PLAYER NOTES & ANECDOTES
Center of Attention -- Judson Wallace averaged 21.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in Princeton's nine-game winning streak to end the regular season.
Making History -- Judson Wallace is the first player at Princeton to average 15 points and six rebounds per game since Bob Roma did it 25 seasons ago.
Steppin' Out -- Judson Wallace is 6-10 but is third on the Tigers with 24 three-point shots (24 for 64, 37.5%)
Mr. Versatility -- Will Venable is second on the Tigers in scoring (10.1) and rebounding (4.8) and leads the team in assists (78) and steals (40).
Shooting Star -- Will Venable shot 60% from the field in Ivy League games (66 for 111).
Double Trouble -- Will Venable has scored in double figures in each of his last 11 games after scoring in double figures five times in Princeton's first 16 games.
Up the Charts -- Ed Persia is now sixth all-time at Princeton with 143 career three-pointers.
Deep Thoughts -- 394 of Ed Persia's 577 career field-goal attempts (68%) have come from three-point range.
Accepting Charity -- Ed Persia is shooting 28 for 30 (93%) from the free-throw line for the season.
Iron Man -- Ed Persia had played in all 104 career games before missing the last five games due to injury.
Rebounding Nicely -- Andre Logan has played in 25 games this season after missing all but three games last year due to a knee injury. Logan tore his ACL midway through the 2001-02 season.
Rebounding Nicely II -- Andre Logan had 14 rebounds against Cornell, the most by a Princeton player since Judson Wallace had 14 against Western Michigan in the first game of the 2002-03 season.
All about Andre -- Andre Logan is averaging nine points, five rebounds and three assists since entering the starting lineup.
Downtown in Denver -- Scott Greenman leads Princeton with 40 three-point shots. He has at least two three-pointers in 14 of Princeton's 27 games.
Taking Care of It -- Scott Greenman has just 26 turnovers in 27 games.
Deep Thoughts -- Scott Greenman and Ed Persia have combined to make 59 of 67 free throws (88%).
The Emperor Maximilian -- Max Schafer has started the last five games for Princeton due to Ed Persia's thigh injury. He has averaged 27 minutes per game in those five games.
More from Downtown -- Max Schafer shot 44% from three-point range in Ivy League games (12 for 27).
Legacy Player -- Freshman forward Luke Owings went to the same high school (Gonzaga in Washington, D.C.) as head coach John Thompson and assistant coach Robert Burke.
Not Too Shabby -- Backup center Mike Stephens is shooting 53% from the field (40 for 76) this season.
Super Schaen -- Harrison Schaen is second on the team in blocks (17) despite playing just 9.7 minutes per game.