.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Tigers Return to Jadwin, Host Lafayette Sunday Afternoon
November 25, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 25, 2005
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
One of Princeton's most spirited non-conference rivalries of the past two decades has been the men's basketball rivalry with Lafayette, and the teams meet for the 16th consecutive season Sunday afternoon at Jadwin Gym at 3:00.
The Tigers (1-1) have dominated the Leopards (1-2) at home, winning 32 of the 37 games played in Princeton, but Lafayette did get a 47-44 win two seasons ago at Jadwin Gym. Princeton returned the favor at Lafayette last season, holding on for a 40-38 victory.
Both games came down to the final possession. Last season, Lafayette's Marcus Harley missed a jumper at the buzzer and Princeton held on. Two seasons ago, Princeton's Scott Greenman missed a three-point shot at the buzzer.
Princeton hasn't lost a game to a Patriot League opponent since that home defeat to Lafayette in 2003, winning four straight since then, including last Sunday's 64-54 win at Lehigh. Noah Savage tied a career high with 18 points and Luke Owings had 17 points and seven rebounds as the Tigers improved to 1-1.
Lafayette had a difficult road trip to start the 2005-06 season, falling at Saint Joseph's and Notre Dame last weekend, but rebounded to defeat Alvernia 86-80 in the home opener Tuesday night. Nine of 10 Princeton players who saw action at Lehigh scored at least one basket, and three (Savage, Patrick Ekeruo, Kyle Koncz) equalled or established career highs in scoring. The Tigers shot 51.2% from the field, the 12th time in 30 games under head coach Joe Scott that they've shot 50% or better.
The Tigers have won 11 of the 15 meetings between the teams since the series was reetablished in 1990.
FACT OF THE DAY
Tight Ones Princeton's games with Lafayette in each of the past two seasons have come down to the final possession. The Tigers won 40-38 last season when Lafayette's Marcus Harley missed at the buzzer, while Lafayette won 47-44 in 2003 when Scott Greenman's three-pointer missed at the buzzer.
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW
Home-Court Advantage Princeton is 32-5 all-time against Lafayette in games played in Princeton.
Nice to See You Again Princeton and Lafayette are playing for the 16th consecutive season. The Tigers have won 11 of the 15 meetings between the schools since that stretch began during the 1990-91 season.
Shooting Stars Princeton shot 51.2% from the field against Lehigh Sunday. The Tigers have shot 50% or better from the field 12 times in 30 games under head coach Joe Scott.
Back to The 60's Princeton has won 26 of its last 27 games when it has scored 60 or more points, including nine of 10 games last season and all 17 times it scored 60 or more in 2003-04.
Patriot Games Princeton has a 10-3 record against Patriot League opponents since the beginning of the 2000-01 season and a 4-0 record against Patriot opponents in two seasons under head coach Joe Scott.
Spreading It Around Nine of the 10 Princeton players who saw action against Lehigh Sunday scored at least one basket.
Comfort Zone Princeton will play six home games in the months of November and December this season. The Tigers played just two home games before January 1 last season.
Helping Out Princeton has assists on 26 of its 37 baskets (70%) in its first two games.
MORE THINGS TO KNOW
More Patriot Games Princeton visits Colgate Saturday to end a stretch of three straight games against Patriot League teams.
On the Defensive Princeton's opponents have made more free throws (38) than field goals (31) through two games.
Delivering From Downtown The Tigers have taken 45 three-point shots and 44 two-point shots in their first two games. Princeton has made 19 two-point shots and 18 three-point shots.
A Game of Runs Princeton had a 15-1 run in the first half against Lehigh Sunday. Drexel had a 17-0 run in the first half against the Tigers Nov. 14.
For Starters Three different Princeton players (Noah Savage, Patrick Ekeruo, Kyle Koncz) either equalled or set career highs in scoring in the win over Lehigh Sunday.
TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES
Ivy Talk Princeton (83 points) was chosen third in the Ivy League's Preseason Media Poll behind Penn (128) and Harvard (96) (see poll to left).
524 & Counting Princeton is one of only three Division I teams (Vanderbilt and UNLV) that has made at least one three-point shot in every game since the rule took effect in 1986-87. The Tigers have now made at least one three-pointer in 524 straight games.
More From Downtown The Tigers have 18 three-pointers in two games this season. Princeton made seven or more threes in a game 19 times last season and 10 or more three-pointers five times.
Shutdown Mode Princeton led the nation in scoring defense in 2004-05, allowing opponents to score just 54.3 points per game. The Tigers are allowing 54.0 points per game through two games this year.
Shooting Stars The Tigers shot 50% or better from the field 11 times in 28 games last season, including seven times in 14 Ivy League games.
Happy Returns Princeton returns 10 letterwinners from last year's team as well as sophomore Harrison Schaen, who was a freshman in 2003-04 before taking the year off from school last season.
Numbers Game The Tigers return just 44% of their scoring and 43% of their rebounding from the 2004-05 season.
Non-Conference Call Princeton finished 9-5 in non-conference play a year ago. Seven of those 14 games came against teams that reached postseason play.
Coach Speak Joe Scott is in his second season as Princeton's head coach and his 10th season overall as a Princeton coach. He was an assistant for eight seasons before spending four years at Air Force.
Helping Out Princeton had assists on 66% of its baskets overall last season (337 of 513) and nearly 70% of its baskets in non-conference play.
More Start Me Up Scott Greenman, Noah Savage and Luke Owings combined to shoot 114-for-280 (40.7%) from three-point range last season. Greenman and Owings were the top two three-point shooters in Ivy league play by percentage.
More Ivy Talk Princeton has won or shared 25 Ivy League titles since official league play began in 1955-56, while Penn has won or shared 23. The other six schools have a combined total of nine titles.
Paradise Found Princeton is scheduled to play in the Maui Invitational in 2007 along with Duke, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, LSU, Marquette and host Chaminade.
Winning Numbers Princeton became the 14th Division I team to record 1,500 all-time victories early last season. The Tigers currently rank 15th on the all-time list with 1,511 victories in 106 seasons of men's basketball.
PLAYER NOTES & ANECDOTES
Ahoy, Captain Scott Greenman is Princeton's team captain and its only senior in 2005-06.
Long-Range Predictions 279 of Scott Greenman's 410 career field-goal attempts (68%) have come from three-point range.
End of the Line Scott Greenman took at least one three-point shot in 57 consecutive games before not taking one against Lehigh.
Taking Care of It Scott Greenman has 116 assists and 64 turnovers in 58 games the past three seasons.
Taking His Shots Luke Owings is a 54% career shooter from the field overall and a 44% career shooter from beyond the three-point arc.
Bombs Away Luke Owings led the Ivy League in three-point field goal percentage in league games in 2004-05. Owings made 17 of 28 three-point shots (60.7%) in 14 games.
Head of the Class Luke Owings was the valedictorian of his high-school class at Gonzaga College Prep in Washington, D.C.
Drive for Five Noah Savage's five three-pointers against Drexel were the most by a Princeton player since Judson Wallace made five against Brown on March 1, 2003.
Double Trouble Noah Savage has scored in double figures 10 times in his first 30 games in a Princeton uniform.
Accepting Charity Noah Savage shot 85.7% from the foul line last season (36-42), the ninth-best single-season percentage in school history. Savage was 8 for 10 from the line at Lehigh Sunday.
Welcome Back Harrison Schaen has started Princeton's first two games in 2005-06. Schaen took the 2004-05 season off from school before returning in September.
When We Saw You Last Harrison Schaen played in 25 of Princeton's 28 games during the 2003-04 season, averaging 2.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per game.
Steel City Guy Geoff Kestler is the all-time leading single-season scorer at Mt. Lebanon High School and led his team to the Pennsylvania AAAA district title game in 2005.
Alexander Was Great Alex Okafor was an All-Bay Area selection by the San Francisco Chronicle in both his senior and junior years of high school. Okafor has averaged 18 minutes in two games this year.
Sargeant-At-Arms Matt Sargeant had a career-high four assists in 17 minutes at Lehigh. Sargeant started nine games as a freshman and led Princeton in scoring with 14 points against Loyola.
Court Time Max Schafer averaged better than 18 minutes per game last season, the most among Princeton's reserve players. Schafer played 22 minutes off the bench at Lehigh.
Not Standing Pat Patrick Ekeruo scored a career-best nine points in 21 minutes off the bench against Lehigh. Ekeruo entered the game with five points for his career at Princeton.
Stepping Out Sophomore Kyle Koncz had a career-high five points at Lehigh. 11 of Koncz's 12 career field-goal attempts have come from three-point range.
In the Buff Edwin Buffmire averaged 18 minutes per game in Princeton's last three games of 2004-05. Buffmire entered those games having played 25 minutes the entire season.