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Princeton University Athletics
The 14-Game Tournament Begins
January 27, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 27, 2005
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31 Division I college basketball conferences play postseason tournaments in February & March to determine their automatic qualifiers into the NCAA tournament.
Only one plays a 14-game, six-week tournament, one that begins in earnest Friday night when the Tigers host Brown at Jadwin Gym in the Ivy League opener for both teams at 7:30 p.m. (Patriot 8, WHWH-AM 1350, GoPrincetonTigers.com, WPRB-FM 103.3).
The Tigers (9-5) were chosen to be the winners of the 14-game tournament in a preseason poll, but none of those predictions make much of a difference now. Princeton does have 12 players on its roster who were around for last season's 13-1 Ivy championship season, including four players who started every Ivy game last year.
Princeton hasn't lost its Ivy League opener since falling to Penn on a Saturday night more than nine years ago, one day before the Blizzard of 1996. Brown (7-7) hasn't played in two weeks thanks to the Blizzard of 2005, which postponed the Bears' meeting with Yale last Saturday in New Haven.
Both teams certainly have star power. Princeton has two returning first-team all-league picks in Judson Wallace and Will Venable, while Brown has 2004 Ivy Player of the Year Jason Forte. Princeton defeated Brown twice last season and has won 16 of its last 18 games against the Bears.
NOTE OF THE DAY
Good Starts Princeton has won its Ivy League opener eight consecutive seasons and has had at least a 3-0 start to league play in each of those eight seasons.
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
Well Rested Princeton played its first game in 19 days this past Monday against Haverford. Brown hasn't played since Jan. 14 because its scheduled game with Yale Jan. 22 was snowed out.
That Part's Over Princeton's nine wins in non-conference play were its most in non-league play since the 1998-99 season, when the Tigers were 9-4 heading into Ivy League competition.
This Part's Here Princeton has finished with at least 10 Ivy League wins 11 years in a row and 15 out of the last 16 seasons.
More Good Starts Princeton's last loss in an Ivy League opener at home to a team other than Penn was a 60-50 loss to Harvard 20 years ago.
Let's Get Defensive Princeton ranks second nationally in points allowed per game (52.9) and sixth nationally in field-goal percentage defense (37.5%). The Tigers have given up fewer field goals (218) than any team in the country.
Tightening the Screws Princeton's opponents are averaging fewer than 16 field goals per game. Tiger opponents have more free throws (251) than field goals (218) this season.
Almost There Judson Wallace needs just 50 points to become Princeton's 25th 1,000-point scorer. Wallace is averaging 16.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in his last 10 games.
Home Cookin' Princeton is 4-0 at home this season and has won its last eight home games dating back to last season.
PRINCETON & BROWN--THINGS TO KNOW
Something's Gotta Give Brown leads the Ivy League and ranks 15th nationally in three-pointers per game (8.64). Princeton has allowed just 53 three-pointers in 14 games (3.79 per game).
53 Outta 54 Ain't Bad Princeton is 53-1 against Brown in games played in Princeton. Brown lost its first 52 games at Princeton until defeating the Tigers at Jadwin Gym two season ago.
Conference Call Princeton ,Brown, Penn & Yale are the last non-independent Division I teams to play their first conference games. The Quakers and Bulldogs tip off in Philadelphia at 8 p.m.
Sweet 16 Princeton is 16-2 against Brown in the past nine seasons, with both of those losses coming during the 2002-03 season.
A Year Makes a Difference Brown returns just two starters from its last game against Princeton. The Tigers return four starters and seven players who played at least 11 minutes in tht game.
TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES
Pulling Rank As of Wednesday, Princeton was ranked 24th in ESPN.com's InsideRPI, an independent replication of the Ratings Percentage Index used by the NCAA.
Pulling More Rank Princeton played the teams ranked No. 2 (Duke), No. 12 (Syracuse) and No. 31 (Temple) in those same rankings during its non-conference schedule.
He's Back Luke Owings returned to the starting lineup Jan. 24 against Haverford, playing 25 minutes. Owings missed four games in December due to a stress fracture in his left foot.
He's Also Back Andre Logan missed Princeton's first seven games due to a third knee surgery on his left knee. Logan has played in the last seven games and had 11 points and four assists Monday night.
The 300 Club Princeton has attempted 307 three-pointers in 14 games (21.9 per game). 53% of the Tigers' field-goal attempts this season have come from three-point range.
The 500 Club Princeton has made at least one three-point shot in all 508 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.
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).
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 again in 2004).
PLAYER NOTES & ANECDOTES
Hoping for a Repeat Judson Wallace scored 20 or more points in seven of 14 Ivy League games last season and averaged 16 points and 6.6 rebounds in Ivy play.
More 20-20 Vision Judson Wallace has scored 20 or more points in 11 of his last 19 Ivy League games dating back to Feb. 2003.
Shooting Star Judson Wallace has made 55 of his last 64 free throws (85.9%).
Mr. Versatility Will Venable leads the Tigers in assists (37) and steals (27) and is second on the team in scoring (10.9 ppg) and rebounding (4.8 rpg).
Another Milestone Will Venable became the 20th player in Princeton history with 200 career assists with his three assists at Duke.
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 the Princeton baseball team in 2004.
Taking Care of It Scott Greenman has just 42 turnovers in 42 games the last two seasons. Greenman has 32 assists and just 16 turnovers in 14 games this year.
Deep Thoughts 224 of Scott Greenman's 313 career field-goal attempts (72%) have come from three-point range, including 82 of 105 (78%) this season.
More From Deep Scott Greenman has attempted 66 three-point shots in Princeton's last 10 games (6.6 3-pt. attempts per game).
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.
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.
For Starters Freshman Matt Sargeant started nine straight games in place of Luke Owings and averaged better than 25 minutes per game in that time.
Start Me Up Matt Sargeant scored a team-high 14 points in a 15-minute span against Loyola after entering the game with 22 points in 202 minutes in Princeton's first 10 games.
Super Sub Senior Mike Stephens has played 23 or more minutes off the bench five times in 14 games.
He's A Player Andre Logan was leading Princeton in scoring when he 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.
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.
Time Chart Guard Max Schafer has played in 13 games off the bench this year. He started the final six games last year due to an injury to starting guard Ed Persia.