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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Tigers Make 2006-07 Home Debut, Face Lehigh Wednesday Night
December 05, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Most Princeton basketball fans have heard all about Kyle Koncz's hot shooting this season. They've seen the numbers on the team's freshman backcourt of Marcus Schroeder and Lincoln Gunn. They've read about a lot of ups, and a few downs, from the season's first seven games. Starting Wednesday, Tiger fans will finally get to see it for themselves.
Princeton makes its Jadwin Gym debut Wednesday night, hosting Lehigh at 7:30, after seven games in Columbus, Ohio, New York City, Easton, Pa., and Milwaukee. The game can be seen live at the TigerZone on GoPrincetonTigers.com and heard live on WBUD-AM 1260 and GoPrincetonTigers.com.
The game is the second half of a doubleheader at Jadwin, with the Princeton women taking on NJIT beginning at 5 p.m.
The Tigers (5-2), winners over Northwestern State 53-51 in the Blue & Gold Classic consolation game Saturday night, are off to a 5-2 start for the second time in three seasons under head coach Joe Scott. A win over the Mountain Hawks Wednesday would give Princeton its best eight-game mark since the 1997-98 team's 7-1 start.
Princeton enters Wednesday's night game with a 22-game winning streak against Lehigh that dates all the way back to the Great Depression. The Tigers, who won at Lehigh 64-54 last season in the first meeting between the teams since 1996, have 29 wins in 31 all-time meetings with the Mountain Hawks, formerly known as the Engineers.
Lehigh (4-6) defeated Central Connecticut by a 55-52 score at Stabler Arena Saturday night. The Mountain Hawks are 4-0 at home and 0-4 on the road heading into Wednesday's game.
Wednesday's game is the first of three straight home games for the Tigers, who host Rutgers Saturday afternoon (4 p.m.) and Marshall the following Saturday. Princeton will play four of its next six games at home after its season-opening seven-game swing away from Jadwin Gym.
FACT OF THE DAY
Quite A Streak Princeton has defeated Lehigh 22 consecutive times. The Mountain Hawks lthen the Engineers) last defeated the Tigers on March 6, 1930, and Princeton has 29 wins in the series in 31 all-time meetings.
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW
Welcome Home The Tigers played their first seven games this season either on neutral courts or on the road. Princeton will now play three straight games, and four of its next six games, at Jadwin Gym.
For Starters Princeton has started the season 5-2 for the second time in Joe Scott's three seasons as head coach. The Tigers also began the year 5-2 in Scott's first season, 2004-05.
Getting Defensive After allowing 68 points in each of its first two games, against Loyola and VMI, Princeton has allowed an average of 46.8 points to its next five opponents.
Taking The Boards In their five wins this season, the Tigers have outrebounded their opponents 129-111. In their two losses this season, the Tigers have been outrebounded 71-33.
Accepting Charity Princeton has attempted 116 free throws compared to 109 for its opponents. The Tigers last attempted more free throws than their opponents in a season in 1997-98.
Shooting Star Kyle Koncz has made 20 of his 39 three-point shots this season (51%). Koncz is also a perfect 13 for 13 from the foul line this year.
Iron Man Marcus Schroeder played all but two minutes in Princeton's first six games before missing the final 16 minutes of the first half against Northwestern State due to foul trouble.
While We Were Away North Dakota State, which defeated Princeton in the first round of the Blue & Gold Classic, went on to defeat No. 8-ranked and undefeated Marquette in the championship game.
WELCOME BACK TO JADWIN GYM
Home, Sweet Home Today's game is the first of 11 home games for Princeton in 2006-07. The Tigers will play 17 games on the road or at neutral sites.
Double Dipping The Tigers will play three men's/women's doubleheaders at Jadwin this season. Besides today, Dec. 16 (Marshall/St. Francis) and March 6 (Penn) will be doubleheaders.
Turning It Around Princeton won its final five home games a year ago after starting the year with two wins in its first eight home games.
Yin & Yang Lehigh enters today's game with a 4-0 record at home and an 0-4 record on the road. The Mountain Hawks have also played two neutral-site games.
Three-Mendous Princeton will have two three-game homestands this year. The Tigers end the year with home games against Brown, Yale and Penn.
Winning Numbers Princeton enters the 2006-07 season having won 84 of its last 105 games (80%) at Jadwin Gym.
TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES
Injury Report Justin Conway may not play Wednesday after suffering a torn muscle in his abdomen against North Dakota State Friday. Conway did not play Saturday and has not practiced the past two days.
Arc Madness Princeton has attempted 143 three-point shots and 130 two-point shots in its first seven games.
556 & 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 556 straight games.
The 60's Princeton has won 35 of its last 37 games (2003-04 to present) in which it has scored 60 or more points in regulation time.
Accepting Charity Princeton finished fourth in the nation last season in free-throw percentage as a team, connecting on 77.3% of its free-throw attempts (266 of 344). Saint Joseph's, New Hampshire and Gonzaga finished ahead of the Tigers.
From Downtown Princeton's four returning starters from a year ago are shooting 38 for 88 (43%) from three-point range. They combined to shoot 139 of 368 (38%) from three-point range last season.
More From Downtown Princeton made 10 or more three-point shots in a game nine times in 27 games last season, including five times in the last 12 games of the season.
Coach Speak Joe Scott is in his third season as Princeton's head coach and his 11th season overall as a coach for the Tigers. He was an assistant for eight seasons at Princeton from 1992-2000.
More Coach Speak Joe Scott played point guard for the Tigers from 1983-87 and still ranks tied for fifth all-time at Princeton with 144 steals.
Even 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.
Final Coach Speak Assistant coaches Mike Brennan and Howard Levy also played basketball at Princeton for former coach Pete Carril, who was also Scott's head coach.
Branching Out Five Princeton graduates or former Princeton assistant coaches are currently Division I head coaches. (Bill Carmody, Northwestern; Chris Mooney, Richmond; Craig Robinson, Brown; Joe Scott, Princeton; John Thompson, Georgetown).
Wait 'Til Next Year! Princeton will play in the Maui Invitational in November 2007 along with Duke, Illinois, Oklahoma State, Arizona State, LSU, Marquette and host Chaminade.
PLAYER NOTES & ANECDOTES
Captain, My Captain Senior Justin Conway is Princeton's team captain in 2006-07. Conway is a former walk-on to the program who had played one career minute prior to Jan. 29 of last season.
Numbers Game Justin Conway has averaged nine points, four rebounds and three assists in 19 games as a starter beginning last Jan. 29.
More Honors Justin Conway earned honorable mention All-Ivy honors in 2005-06 despite not playing in Princeton's first two Ivy League games.
Bombs Away Kyle Koncz has made at least three three-point shots in 14 of his last 28 games.
Buckets & Buckets Kyle Koncz made at least three three-point shots in each of Princeton's first six games this season.
More Bombs Away 168 of Kyle Koncz's 206 field-goal attempts (82%) the last two seasons have come from three-point range.
Conference Call Luke Owings earned honorable-mention All-Ivy honors as a junior. He averaged almost 11 points and five rebounds in conference play.
Experience Luke Owings had played in 77 career games entering 2006-07, 22 more than any other Princeton player entering the season.
More Arc Madness Noah Savage needs four three-point shots to move into the top 15 all-time at Princeton and seven three-pointers to reach 100 for his career.
Point Man Noah Savage is Princeton's leading returning scorer from a year ago. He averaged exactly 10 points per game as a sophomore.
Start Here, Start There Marcus Schroeder and Lincoln Gunn were also the starting backcourt at De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif. in 2005-06, leading their team to a 32-1 record and a state title.
Helping Out Marcus Schroeder's seven assists against VMI Nov. 11 were the most by a Princeton player since Will Venable had seven assists against Harvard in March 2005.
Gunn-Er Lincoln Gunn's three-point shot with 33 seconds left gave Princeton a five-point lead against VMI Nov. 11. Gunn took 14 three-pointers in three games at the BCA Classic, making four.
Old School Marcus Schroeder and Lincoln Gunn have known each other and played basketball together since elementary school.
Stritt Talk Michael Strittmatter scored a career-high 17 points in Princeton's loss to Loyola Nov. 10. Strittmatter has made 16 of his 27 shots in Princeton's first four games this season.
Buffed Up Edwin Buffmire averaged more than 25 minutes per game off the bench in 2005-06. He shot nearly 50% from the field and led Princeton in blocked shots.
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.
Related Matters Chris Petrie is the nephew of former Tiger standout and current Sacramento Kings general manager Geoff Petrie. His father, George, is the men's basketball coach at Gettysburg College.