Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
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Almond Leads Rice to 52-41 Win over Princeton in Men's Basketball
January 05, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 5, 2006
Box Score
HOUSTON - Rice junior Morris Almond entered Thursday night's game against Princeton leading Conference USA in scoring. The Tigers found out exactly why in a couple key second-half spots.
Almond hit three-point shots on consecutive Rice possessions midway through the half, each time turning a two-point advantage into a five-point lead, keying a 10-3 run that helped the Owls pull away for a 52-41 win over Princeton before 2,156 at Autry Court.
Princeton (2-10) had trailed by as many as 12 points early in the second half before making a comeback, pulling to within two on a driving Edwin Buffmire layup with 10:28 left and again 42 seconds later when Noah Savage hit a three-pointer, but Almond answered both times for Rice (6-7). The Owls then got inside baskets from J.R. Harrison and Lorenzo Williams in the next two minutes to go back ahead by nine with seven minutes left.
The Tigers were within five again at 44-39 after Michael Strittmatter made a three-pointer with five minutes left, but Savage, Scott Greenman and Noah Savage missed three-pointers after that and Princeton didn't score again until Buffmire's layup with just 36 seconds left.
Three-pointers were the story for the Tigers, who took 29 of their 45 shots from beyond the arc against mostly zone defense, including 18 of their 20 field goal attempts in the first half. Princeton made nine of those 29 attempts but finished just five for 16 from two-point range for the game and shot just 31% overall for the game. "I thought that a lot of those opportunities were good shots, they just didn't go down," said Princeton head coach Joe Scott. "I'm more concerned with the fact that we finished 5 for 16 on two-point shots. Still, we had a chance in the second half but just couldn't get over the hump."
"We were fortunate in that a lot of open looks didn't go down for them," said Rice head coach Willis Wilson. "We had to be very disciplined defensively tonight and I thought we did a good job with that."
Almond finished with 21 points, shooting 8 for 11 from the field and 3 for 4 from the three-point line. He also had a game-high seven rebounds for the Owls, who shot 51% for the game from the field (18 for 35).
Luke Owings led Princeton with 11 points in 34 minutes off the bench, while Buffmire had 10 points and three assists. Noah Savage, Princeton's leading scorer, had eight points but shot just 2 for 11 from the field and 2 for 9 from three-point range.
Rice took a six-point lead in the game's early first four minutes, but the Tigers rallied to tie the game at 13-13 on an Owings' three-pointer with 8:33 left in the first half. A late run looked like it would give the Owls an eight-point halftime lead, but Buffmire made a deep three-pointer as the halftime buzzer sounded to make it 24-19 at the half.
The Owls then scored the first seven points of the second half before Princeton made its comeback attempt.
Princeton had assists on 12 of its 14 field goals in the game, including four from Scott Greenman and three apiece from Savage and Buffmire. Greenman played all 40 minutes but finished 0 for 6 from the field and 0 for 5 from three-point range.
The Tigers have now lost six straight games for the first time since the 1979-80 season.
NOTES: Princeton had a season-high 10 offensive rebounds in the game. Harrison Schaen had three offensive rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench.
The Tigers have now attempted 275 three-point shots and 226 two-point shots this season. Princeton has made 95 three-pointers and 86 two-pointers in 2005-06.
The Tigers begin Ivy League play next Friday against Columbia. Princeton has defeated Columbia eight consecutive times.