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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Men's Basketball to Open Season Friday Hosting Central Michigan
November 13, 2008 | Men's Basketball
Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy) vs. Central Michigan (0-0, 0-0 Mid-American)
Princeton Head Coach: Sydney Johnson (First season, 6-23 at Princeton/Overall)
Radio: WPRB 103.3 (John Sadak, Play-by-Play)
All-Time Series: First Meeting
The Big 4-0: Friday's game will begin Princeton's 40th season in Jadwin Gym, which saw its first game Dec. 6, 1969 against Villanova.
Home-opener, season-opener: In the 39 seasons at Jadwin, Princeton has opened its overall season at home 19 times. Princeton is 15-4 in those games.
More home-opener, season-opener: Princeton will open its season at home in back-to-back years for the first time in 19 years, since the 88-89 and 89-90 seasons.
Princeton-Central Michigan: Princeton and Central Michigan will be meeting on the basketball court for the first time.
Princeton against the MAC: Counting games in which the opponent was in the Mid-American Conference at the time of the game, Princeton is 6-5 against MAC schools.
Last MAC foe: The last time Princeton faced a MAC team was also the last time Princeton opened its season with a MAC opponent. On Nov. 22, 2002, Princeton defeated CMU's chief rival, Western Michigan, 62-59 at Oklahoma's Lloyd Noble Center.
MAC in Jadwin: Princeton has entertained a MAC opponent in Jadwin Gym only once, Dec. 7, 1985 versus Bowling Green. Princeton won 59-52.
Johnson vs. the MAC: Sydney Johnson is 2-0 versus the MAC as a player and coach. On Dec. 29, 1995, Johnson scored 15 points in his 40 minutes as the Tigers defeated Ohio 65-60 in Green Bay, Wisc. On Nov. 27, 2006, Georgetown beat Ball State 69-54 with Johnson as an assistant coach.
Season's getting earlier and earlier: It seems that way, but Princeton opens this season three days later than a year ago. Five Ivy teams will open their seasons, and the overall Ivy basketball season, Friday night.
Top returner: Junior center Zach Finley is Princeton's top returner from last season by the stat sheet. He averaged a team-best 10.2 points per game last season and grabbed 4.4 rebounds, second only to the now-graduated Kyle Koncz with 4.9.
Who's back: Princeton returns nine players from a year ago, including two who started a double-digit number of games in juniors Zach Finley and Marcus Schroeder.
Who's new: Princeton has five freshmen this season in 6-6 guard John Comfort, 5-11 guard Doug Davis, 6-2 guard Max Huc, 6-7 forward Zane Ma and 6-7 guard/forward Patrick Saunders.
Tigers vs. the Wolverine State: Princeton has played 14 games (4-10) against three teams from the state of Michigan, with a combined 13 of those coming against the University of Michigan, last in 1972, and Michigan State, last in 1998. The other game was against Western Michigan in 2002.
Famous games vs. Michigan teams: Two of Princeton's more notable games, though both losses, came against Michigan teams. The Wolverines ended Princeton's Final Four run in the national semifinal in 1965, 93-76, and the 1998 team, the Ivy's last to win an NCAA Tournament game, lost to Michigan State 63-56 in the second round.
We like the three: Princeton fired and made 50% more three-pointers than its opponents last season. The Tigers hit 205 of 623 (.329) and their opponents 137 of 416 (.329).
Princeton in the NCAA rankings: Princeton's top ranking last season of the then-328 Division I schools was in scoring defense as the Tigers held their opponents to 64.2 points per game, ranking 67th.
Here, there, everywhere: Princeton's 14 players come from nine states. California is the most popular, with five Tigers calling the Golden State home.
Johnson in season-openers: Sydney Johnson is 5-3 in season-openers combining his time as a player (2-2), assistant coach (2-1) and head coach (1-0). Last season, Johnson started his head coaching career with a 59-57 win over Central Connecticut State.
Johnson in home-openers: Sydney Johnson is 4-4 in home-openers in college basketball, including 2-2 as a Princeton player, 1-2 at Georgetown and 1-0 as Princeton's head coach.
2007-08 at home: Princeton was 6-7 at home last season as all of last season's wins came in Jadwin Gym. Princeton's last Jadwin Gym victory was a 75-64 win over Columbia on Mar. 7.
We'll be home a lot: Princeton will host 14 games at Jadwin Gym this season, the most since 1987-88. That was also the last season Princeton played more regular-season games at home than on the road, as it will this season.
Rollin' down the highway: Unlike last season in which Princeton had three plane trips, the Tigers are staying local this season as all of its road games will be played in New York, Pennsylvania and New England.
They come from all over: Princeton will be bringing in opponents from other parts of the nation, beginning with Central Michigan for the opener. UNC Greensboro and South Carolina will also make trips to Jadwin Gymnasium this season.
Tiger coaching tree: Princeton boasts five alumni as head coaches of Division I men's basketball teams. The list includes John Thompson III '88 at Georgetown, Craig Robinson '83 at Oregon State, Joe Scott '87 at Denver, Chris Mooney '94 at Richmond and of course Sydney Johnson '97 at Princeton.
Presidential ball: Two Princeton basketball alumni joined in President-elect Barack Obama's Election Day basketball game, including Obama's brother-in-law, Craig Robinson '83, and Chicago investment firm manager John Rogers '80.
Next up: Princeton will host another first-time opponent next Wednesday, Nov. 19, when Maine comes to Jadwin Gym.
Milestone watch: Princeton has had 26 1,000-point scorers in its history, and two Tigers who have two seasons left are above 300. Zach Finley is the leading total scorer with 360 points, while Marcus Schroeder has 305.
Busy, busy weekend: Student-athletes from 14 Tiger teams will suit up this weekend, including three in NCAA play. The field hockey Tigers are in the 16-team field, opening with Penn State at Syracuse Saturday. The women's soccer team is facing West VIrginia at Virginia Friday in that 64-team field, and Princeton is hosting the men's and women's NCAA Mid-Atlantic cross country regional.
On a court in the Bronx: Princeton's women's basketball team will also open the season Friday night at Fordham's Rose Hill Gym. The men's team will be there on Thanksgiving eve, Nov. 26.
Look up, they're new: Banners have made their way into Jadwin Gym, recognizing Princeton's 25 Ivy League men's titles, 23 men's NCAA appearances, the 1965 men's Final Four and 1967 men's East Regional appearances, Bill Bradley's No. 42, six EIBL men's titles, the seven women's Ivy League titles and the 1996 WNIT appearance.
Speaking of 42: Bill Bradley '65 and Heisman Trophy winner Dick Kazmaier '52 spoke at a dinner Oct. 24 that commemorated the uniform number 42. Both men wore that number, which will now be retired across all Princeton sports.