Princeton University Athletics
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Princeton Uses Strong Second Half to Win at Manhattan, 57-45
November 22, 2006 | Men's Basketball
When good offense and good defense come together, it's usually a recipe for basketball success. That was never more the case than it was for Princeton Wednesday night at Manhattan.
The Tigers made 12 of their 15 second-half shots, including five of six three-point attempts, and held Manhattan to just two baskets in a key six-minute stretch midway through the second half on the way to a 57-45 win over the Jaspers before 1,531 at Draddy Gym.
Princeton (3-1), which trailed 20-14 at halftime and 16-5 midway through the first half, outscored Manhattan (2-2) 52-29 in the final 30 minutes of the game. The Tigers took the lead for good on Marcus Schroeder's three-pointer with 8:42 left in the game, then made 10 straight free throws in the game's final minute to salt away their third non-league victory, one more than they had all of last season.
"We did a nice job in the second half," said Princeton head coach Joe Scott. "We had guys come in and make big shots when they were open, and our defense was very good for most of the game."
Princeton also had the services of Kyle Koncz in the second half, and the junior, who missed much of the first half after getting two fouls in the first five minutes of the game, was on fire in the final 20 minutes. Koncz scored all 13 of his points in the second half, connecting on 3 of 4 three-point shots, and also had two steals for Princeton.
"I saw some things sitting on the bench in the first half," said Koncz, who is averaging nearly 15 points per game in Princeton's first four games. "I wasn't happy I was out of the game, but I think it helped me get going in the second half.
The Tigers, who won their third straight game, also got a season-best 10 points from freshman point guard Marcus Schroeder, who again played all 40 minutes for the third time in the last four games.
Princeton, down 11 midway through the first half, got back into it with a 9-2 run in the final 10 minutes of the half, started by a Noah Savage dunk on a broken play with 8:37 left. The Tigers had cut their deficit to 18-14 with two minutes left on Luke Owings' three-pointer before the Jaspers scored a disputed basket at the halftime buzzer to take a six-point halftime lead.
Arturo Dubois led Manhattan with 14 points, but only four of those came in the second half. The Jaspers shot 50 % for the game but committed 17 turnovers, while Princeton had just four of its 12 turnovers in the decisive second half.
Princeton plays at Lafayette Tuesday night.
NOTES
* It took Princeton nearly three hours to make the 65-mile trip from Princeton to Draddy Gym thanks to pre-Thanksgiving traffic and steady rain. The return trip took approximately an hour and 15 minutes
* Princeton went from trailing 30-25 with 14:24 left in the game to leading 41-34 with 5:03 left. Beginning at the 11:48 mark of the second half, the Tigers made six of their next seven shots from the field, three of which were three-point shots and another from Michael Strittmatter where his foot was on the three-point line.
* Koncz has now made at least three three-point shots in each of Princeton's four games this season and 13 of his last 26 games dating back to last season.
* The Tigers have nearly twice as many steals as their opponents through four games. Princeton has 34 steals, while its opponents have just 18. Princeton's four opponents have combined for 27 assists and 68 turnovers.