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Princeton University Athletics
Tigers Conclude Three-Game Home Swing, Welcome Monmouth to Jadwin Gym
December 13, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 13, 2005
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The Princeton men's basketball team looks to finish its three-game home swing with a second straight win, and its fifth straight win over Monmouth, when the Hawks visit Jadwin Gym Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. (WHWH-AM 1350, GoPrincetonTigers.com, WPRB 103.3 FM).
The Tigers (2-4) got their first home win of the season Saturday night against Wyoming and face a Monmouth (1-7) team that has lost six straight, including a 71-57 defeat at Lehigh Monday night.
Princeton debuted a new starting lineup with great success Saturday night against the Cowboys, with sophomore Kyle Koncz scoring a career-best 18 points and classmate Kevin Steuerer playing all 40 minutes in place of the injured Scott Greenman. Koncz entered the game with 19 career points in 11 games, while Steuerer entered last week having played just three minutes in his career.
The Tigers are playing their fifth home in seven games this season, while Monmouth is playing its eighth game away from home in its first nine games this year. The Hawks played in the Great Alaska Shootout in November, defeating Southern Illinois before losing close games to South Carolina and Oral Roberts.
Princeton and Monmouth are meeting for the 11th consecutive season. The Tigers have won eight of the previous 10 games, including five of six games played at Jadwin Gym. FACT OF THE DAY
On the Offensive Princeton scored 37 points in the first half of its win against Wyoming Saturday. The Tigers had scored 39 combined points in the first half in their three previous games.
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW
On the Defensive Princeton held Wyoming without a field goal for the final 3:34 of the second half and the final 4:21 of the first half in its win over the Cowboys Saturday night.
For Starters... Two Princeton players made their first career starts Saturday (Kyle Koncz and Kevin Steuerer), while junior Patrick Ekeruo was making just his third career start and freshman Geoff Kestler just his sixth.
Doubling Up Kyle Koncz scored 18 points in Princeton's win over Wyoming. He entered the game with 19 career points in 11 games.
New Kid on the Block Kevin Steuerer has played 73 minutes in Princeton's last two games. Steuerer entered last week having played in two games and for a total of three minutes in his career.
Deep Thoughts Princeton has made 53 three-point shots and 49 two-point shots this season. The Tigers have attemped 144 three-point shots and 110 two-point shots.
Shore Trip Princeton has defeated Monmouth in each of the last four seasons and five times in six all-time meetings at Jadwin Gym.
Local Guy Princeton head coach Joe Scott grew up on the Jersey Shore about 30 miles from the Monmouth campus and was an assistant coach for the Hawks during the 1991-92 season.
Home & Home Tonight's game is Princeton's fifth home game in its first seven games; tonight's game is Monmouth's eighth away game in its first nine games.
MORE THINGS TO KNOW
Accepting Charity Princeton has made 14 of 16 free throws in its last two games. The Tigers made eight of their nine free throws against Wyoming.
Happy Ending The Tigers' win over Wyoming broke a four-game home losing streak dating back to a loss to Penn at the end of last season. The streak was the longest in Princeton's 37-plus seasons playing in Jadwin Gym.
On the Rebound In its two wins this year, Princeton has been outrebounded 47-45, In their four losses, the Tigers have been outrebounded 134-86.
All-Around Player Noah Savage ranks in the top eight in the Ivy League in scoring, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and three-point field goal percentage.
More From Monmouth Princeton has nine wins in 11 all-time meetings with Monmouth. The teams have played in every season since 1995-96.
TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES
Injury Report Scott Greenman missed the Wyoming game due to a back injury originally suffered against Colgate. Matt Sargeant is out with a right groin injury and has missed four games.
TV Stars Princeton's next two games after today will be nationally televised. The Wake Forest game is on ESPN2, while the Stanford game in the Pete Newell Challenge is on CSTV.
Roster Report Junior guard Max Schafer left the team for personal reasons last week. Schafer played in 56 games in three seasons and averaged 2.5 points per game.
Home, Sweet Home Princeton is playing three straight non-league games at home for the first time since the 2001-02 season.
Just a Little While Back... Princeton also started 1-4 in 2001-02, but recovered to win 15 of its final 21 regular-season games and reach the NIT.
528 & 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 528 straight games.
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).
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 56.2 points per game through six games this year.
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.
More Coach Speak Joe Scott was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year in 2004 and finished fourth in the balloting for Associated Press National Coach of the Year.
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 1,512 victories in 106 seasons of varsity basketball.
PLAYER NOTES & ANECDOTES
Shooting Star Noah Savage is shooting 50% from the field and 49% from three-point range. The rest of the Tigers are shooting 37% from the field and 32% from three-point range.
Leader of the Pack Noah Savage led Princeton in scoring in each of the team's first five games before scoring only six points against Wyoming Saturday.
In the Neighborhood Noah Savage is a Princeton resident and attended The Hun School, about a mile down U.S. Route 206 from the Princeton campus.
End of the Line Scott Greenman had started 61 consecutive games before a back injury kept him out of the Wyoming game.
Filling It Up Scott Greenman needs two three-pointers to pass Spencer Gloger and move into 10th place all-time at Princeton in that category.
Long-Range Predictions 292 of Scott Greenman's 431 career field-goal attempts (68%) have come from three-point range.
Taking Care of It Scott Greenman has 120 assists and 66 turnovers in 61 games the past three seasons.
Taking His Shots Luke Owings is a 52% career shooter from the field overall and a 45% 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.
Stepping Out 35 of Kyle Koncz's 39 career field goal attempts have come from three-point range.
Not Standing Pat Patrick Ekeruo played all 40 minutes against Temple and had a career-best seven rebounds. Ekeruo earned his first career start Dec. 3 against Colgate.
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.
Start Me Up Geoff Kestler has started each of Princeton's first six games. Kestler had a season-high eight points against Colgate Dec. 3.
Holding Court Harrison Schaen's 17 minutes against Wyoming were his most since playing 25 minutes in the season opener against Drexel Nov. 14.
Welcome Back Harrison Schaen started Princeton's first three games in 2005-06. Schaen took the 2004-05 season off from school before returning in September.
In the Buff Edwin Buffmire was a perfect 3 for 3 from the field against Wyoming Saturday. Buffmire has played in two games this season, playing 18 minutes apiece against both Colgate and Wyoming.
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 13 minutes in six games this year.
Sargeant-At-Arms Matt Sargeant had a career-high four assists in 17 minutes at Lehigh, but has missed Princeton's last four games due to a groin injury suffered in practice two weeks ago.