Back in Black (and Orange): Tigers Visit Davidson in Return From Exam Break

Jan. 27, 2006

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There aren't really any easy ways to come back from a 15-day layoff in the middle of a basketball season. But Princeton's visit to Davidson Sunday night is a challenge in more ways than just that one.

Game time is 7 p.m. at Belk Arena, where the Wildcats have won 17 consecutive games dating back to last season. Davidson, which will look to avenge a double overtime loss to Princeton at Jadwin Gym last year, has played four games since Princeton's last game, against Cornell two weeks ago.

That meeting at Jadwin Gym last year was a tight affair throughout, with neither team holding more than a six-point lead at any point. The Tigers finally clinched the a 70-68 win after 50 minutes when Andre Logan intercepted a pass in the lane just before the buzzer.

The Tigers (3-11) split their opening Ivy League weekend Jan. 13-14 before heading into their exam break, and the Davidson game is the final non-conference game for Princeton before a season-ending stretch of 12 Ivy games.

Davidson was 11-7 heading into a home game against Elon Friday night. The Wildcats, who went undefeated in Southern Conference play last year (5-2), were tied for first place in the South Division of that league heading into Friday night's game.

Princeton is making its second trip to North Carolina this season. The Tigers played at then-No. 16 Wake Forest in December.

FACT OF THE DAY

Welcome Back The Tigers are playing their first game since Jan. 14 tonight against Davidson. Princeton students take first-semester exams in mid-January, then have an "intersession" before classes resume next week. EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW

It's Been a While Since Princeton's last game Jan. 14 against Cornell, Davidson has played four games, including a home game Friday night against Elon.

It's Been a While 2 Princeton is not playing an NCAA Division III team in its first game after first-semester exams for the first time since 1985, when the Tigers played De Paul on Jan. 29.

Extra Time Princeton defeated Davidson 70-68 in double overtime last season. Neither team led by more than six points at any point in the game.

Lining it Up Princeton has attempted 55 free throws in its last two games (27.5 attempts per game). In their first 12 games, the Tigers attempted 95 free throws (7.9 attempts per game).

Arc Madness Princeton has attempted 322 three-point shots and 266 two-point shots this season. The Tigers have made 109 three-point shots and 104 two-point shots.

In and You Win In their three victories this season, the Tigers have shot a combined 59-for-125 from the field (47.2%). In their 11 losses, the Tigers have shot a combined 154-for-463 from the field (33.3%).

Non-Conference Call Sunday's game against Davidson is Princeton's final non-league game. The Tigers' final 12 games after Sunday are against Ivy League opponents.

Carolina on Our Minds Princeton is making its second trip to North Carolina this season. The Tigers played at then-No. 16 Wake Forest Dec. 17.

MORE THINGS TO KNOW

Turnarounds Princeton also began the 1979-80 season 3-11, then won 12 of its last 15 regular-season games to tie for the Ivy League title before falling to Penn by one point in an Ivy playoff game.

For Starters 10 Princeton players have started at least three games this season; eight players have started at least five games. Only one player (Noah Savage) has started all 14 games.

On the Road Again Princeton plays six of its next eight games on the road beginning Sunday. The Tigers play five straight Ivy League games on the road from Feb. 10 through Feb. 18.

Possession Game Princeton has averaged 42 field goal attempts per game in its first 14 games. Davidson has averaged 64 field goal attempts per game through 18 games.

Seeing Red All 12 active Princeton players are averaging at least 13.5 minutes per game. Only one player (Noah Savage) is averaging more than 30 minutes per game.

TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES

Injury Report Geoff Kestler has bursitis in his right hip and is out for tonight's game. Matt Sargeant has missed nine games due to a groin injury but could play tonight. Alex Okafor has been limited by tendon injury in his right hand suffered in practice Dec. 16.

Ivy Talk Princeton split its first Ivy League weekend Jan. 13-14, defeating Cornell and losing to Columbia. The Tigers were chosen to finish third in the Ivy League in a preseason poll.

Local Guys Princeton's Noah Savage and Davidson's Matt McKillop both played prep basketball at The Hun School, located about two miles from Princeton's campus.

536 & Counting Princeton is one of only three Division I teams (Vanderbilt and UNLV are the others) to have 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 536 straight games.

Deep Thoughts Noah Savage, Kyle Koncz and Luke Owings have combined to make 75 of 193 three-point attempts this season (39%).

More Deep Thoughts Princeton averages nearly eight three-point shots per game. The Tigers have made at least nine three-pointers six times in 14 games.

The 60's Princeton has won 30 of its last 31 games when it scores 60 or more points in regulation. The Tigers were 10-1 last year and 19-0 in 2003-04 when scoring 60 or more points.

Shutdown Mode Princeton led the nation in scoring defense in 2004-05, allowing opponents to score just 54.3 points per game.

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 at Princeton from 1992-2000.

More Coach Speak Joe Scott was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year in 2004 (at Air Force) and finished fourth in the balloting for Associated Press National Coach of the Year.

More Ivy Talk Princeton has won 25 Ivy League championships; Penn has won 23 league crowns. The other six league schools have combined to win nine league championships.

Even More Ivy Talk Either Princeton (1989-92, 96-98, 01, 04) or Penn (1993-95, 99-00, 02-03, 05) has represented the Ivy League in the NCAA tournament in each of the last 17 seasons.

Paradise Found Princeton is scheduled to play in the Maui Invitational in November 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 16th on the all-time list with 1,513 victories in 106 seasons of varsity basketball.

PLAYER NOTES & ANECDOTES

All-Around Player Noah Savage leads the Tigers in scoring, rebounding, three-pointers and free throws and is second on the team in assists.

Leader of the Pack Noah Savage averaged 16.8 points per game in Princeton's first five games this season, including a career-best 21-point performance against Temple.

Start Me Up Noah Savage is the only current Princeton player to started every game of his career. Savage has started all 42 career games.

Experience Scott Greenman has played 164 of a possible 165 minutes since returning from injury Dec. 31. He has played every minute in Princeton's last three games.

Distance Learning Scott Greenman now has 110 career three-pointers, moving him into 10th place on Princeton's all-time list.

Long-Range Predictions 309 of Scott Greenman's 464 career field-goal attempts (67%) have come from three-point range.

Stepping Out Kyle Koncz's last 18 field-goal attempts have come from three-point range. 72 of his 83 shots this year have come from beyond the arc.

Bombs Away Kyle Koncz has made at least three three-point shots in six of Princeton's last nine games. He made four of his five three-point attempts against Columbia Jan. 13.

Taking His Shots Luke Owings is a 51% career shooter from the field overall and a 45% career shooter from beyond the three-point arc.

Head of the Class Luke Owings was the valedictorian of his high school class at Gonzaga College Prep in Washington, D.C.

In the Buff Edwin Buffmire made two free throws with 0.8 seconds left against Columbia to send the game into overtime. Buffmire scored a career-high 12 points in that game.

Stritt Talk Michael Strittmatter has made 11 of his 12 free-throw attempts in his last two games. He made two free throws with 15 seconds left against Columbia that tied the game at 52-52.

Sure as Schaen Harrison Schaen's 10 points against Wake Forest tied a career high, previously set against Southern Vermont in Jan. 2004.

Quick Starts Geoff Kestler started each of Princeton's first nine games. Kestler had a season-high eight points against Colgate Dec. 3 and played 18 minutes off the bench at Rutgers in the only game he didn't start..

New Kid on the Block Sophomore Kevin Steuerer averaged 32 minutes per game in a six-game stretch from Dec. 6 through Dec. 28. Steuerer had played three career minutes prior to that.

History Lesson Kevin Steuerer's father Mickey was a team captain for the 1975 Princeton team that won the NIT, the only Ivy League team to have won a postseason national tournament.

Not Standing Pat Patrick Ekeruo played all 40 minutes against Temple and had a career-best seven rebounds. Ekeruo had a career-high five assists against Stanford Dec. 21.

Alexander Was Great Alex Okafor's three-point play with 4:03 left in overtime gave Princeton the lead against Columbia Jan. 13. Okafor has averaged 13 minutes in 13 games this year and is averaging two rebounds per game.

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