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Princeton University Athletics
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Tigers Welcome Rice, Almond To Jadwin For Saturday Matinee
January 05, 2007 | Men's Basketball
The nation's leading scorer, Rice senior Morris Almond, leads the Owls into Jadwin Gym Saturday afternoon for a matchup against a Princeton team looking for a second win over a Conference USA opponent this season. Game time is 2 p.m., and the game can be seen live on both Patriot 8 and at the TigerZone at GoPrincetonTigers.com and heard live on the web and on WPRB-FM 103.3.
Princeton (8-4), which defeated Marshall from Conference USA 61-45 at Jadwin three weeks ago, plays its final non-league home game Satuday. The Tigers' home schedule resumes Feb. 9 against Harvard; Princeton's Ivy schedule begins next weekend at Columbia and Cornell.
Almond, who had 21 points and seven rebounds in Rice's 52-41 win over Princeton in Houston last year, has simply exploded offensively as a senior. His 31.4 points-per-game average leads Division I, and his 44-point outburst in a loss to Vanderbilt Tuesday was a Conference USA record. Almond, who also leads the Owls (6-6) in rebounding (6.6 per game), has scored at least 24 points in 11 of his team's 12 games.
The Tigers, who won at Iona last Saturday, have been hot from three-point range in their last three games, making 31 three-pointers in that time. Junior Kyle Koncz, Princeton's leading scorer (11.5 ppg), has made 13 of his last 21 three-point shots and is shooting 50% from behind the arc (33 for 66) for the season.
Justin Conway had a team-high 16 points in Princeton's win at Iona. He shot 6 for 9 from the field in that game and also added four rebounds, four steals and two assists for the Tigers, who never trailed in the final 30 minutes of the game.
Princeton plays its next five games after Saturday on the road. After next weekend's trip to Columbia and Cornell, the Tigers play at Seton Hall after first-semester exams and then at Yale and Brown the first weekend of February.
FACT OF THE DAY
Immovable Object, Irresistible Force Princeton has allowed fewer points per game than any other team in Division I (50.9). Rice's Morris Almond has scored more points per game than any other player in Division I (31.4).
EIGHT MORE THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW
A New Year Princeton's win at Iona Saturday gave the Tigers an 18-10 record in the calendar year 2006. The Tigers finished 10-6 in the 2006 portion of last year's schedule.
Conference Call Princeton's last home game came against another Conference USA opponent, Marshall. The Tigers won that game 61-45 three weeks ago.
Dialing Long Distance Princeton has made 31 three-point shots in 72 attempts (43%) in its last three games.
More From Long Distance Princeton has the top two three-point shooters in the Ivy League by percentage (Michael Strittmatter, 59.1%, Kyle Koncz, 50%).
Numbers Game The Tigers rank in the top 60 in NCAA Division I in five statistical categories (scoring defense, three-pointers per game, three-point percentage, fewest turnovers and fewest fouls).
Taking Care Of It The Tigers have 38 assists and 27 turnovers in their last three games. Princeton is averaging fewer than 10 turnovers per game in its last five games.
On The Defensive Princeton's 12 opponents this season have combined for 93 assists (7.8 per game) and 176 turnovers (14.7 per game).
See You Soon Princeton plays its next five games after today on the road. The Tigers will play their first four Ivy League games on the road beginning Friday at Columbia.
AS THE YEAR TURNS...
Same Time, Different Place Princeton and Rice played exactly one year ago yesterday in Houston. The Owls won 52-41 behind Morris Almond's 21 points and seven rebounds.
Line Dancing Princeton has averaged 18 free-throw attempts per game in its eight wins and 10 free-throw attempts per game in its four losses.
Arc Madness Princeton has taken 255 three-point shots (21.3 per game) and 218 two-point shots (18.2 per game) this season.
Time Passages Marcus Schroeder has played an average of 38.5 minutes per game this season, third among all players in Division I.
Coast to Coast Princeton freshmen Marcus Schroeder and Lincoln Gunn were also the starting guards at De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., leading their team to a state title in 2006.
Margin Calls All of Princeton's eight wins this season have come by five points or less (four times) or by 11 points or more (four times).
TEAM NOTES & ANECDOTES
561 & 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 one of its games since the rule took effect for the 1986-87 season. The Tigers have now made at least one three-pointer in 561 straight games.
The 60's Princeton has won 36 of its last 38 games (2003-04 to present) in which it has scored 60 or more points in regulation time.
One Or The Other Either Princeton (nine times) or Penn (nine times) has earned the Ivy League's automatic NCAA tournament berth in each of the last 18 seasons (1989-2006).
Climbing The Charts Princeton entered the 2006-07 season with 1,522 all-time wins, 17th among NCAA Division I schools (see chart at left).
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.
More From Downtown Princeton has made eight or more three-pointers eight times this season and made 10 or more three-point shots in a game nine times in 27 games last season.
Freedom The Tigers have made 39 of their 48 free throws (82%) in their last four games. Princeton is shooting 70% from the line as a team compared to 60% for its opponents.
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.
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).
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 8.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 22 games as a starter beginning last January.
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 17 of his last 33 games.
Buckets & Buckets Kyle Koncz made at least three three-point shots in each of Princeton's first six games this season and nine times in 12 games overall.
More Bombs Away 195 of Kyle Koncz's 238 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 has played in 89 career games entering today's game, 22 more than any other Princeton player (Noah Savage with 67).
Arc Madness Noah Savage needs three 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.
Iron Man Marcus Schroeder has played all 40 minutes in nine of Princeton's 12 games and has played 462 of a possible 480 minutes overall.
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 made five three-point shots against South Carolina Dec. 20. His 15 points were a season high.
Handling It Lincoln Gunn and Marcus Schroeder have combined for 60 assists and 40 turnovers this season.
Old School Marcus Schroeder and Lincoln Gunn have known each other and played basketball together since elementary school.
Stritt Talk Michael Strittmatter has made 23 of his 42 shots and 13 of his 21 three-point attempts in Princeton's first 12 games this season.
Foul Play Edwin Buffmire has gone to the free throw line 32 times, most on the team, despite averaging just 17 minutes per game, sixth on the team.
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.