.png&width=24&type=webp)
Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Season Opener for Men's Basketball is Saturday at Central Michigan
November 11, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Princeton (0-0, 0-0 Ivy) at Central Michigan (0-0, 0-0 Mid-American)
Saturday, Nov. 14 at Central Michigan's Rose Arena
Princeton Head Coach: Sydney Johnson (third season/Princeton '97/19-37 overall/at Princeton)
Radio: WPRB 103.3 FM/GoPrincetonTigers.com (John Sadak, Play-by-Play)
All-Time Series: Central Michigan leads 1-0, 0-0 at Central Michigan
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video
Princeton 2008-09 stats: Overall | Conference
Central Michigan links: CMU men's basketball page | CMU game notes
What They're Saying: Central Michigan Life (student) | Town Topics (Princeton weekly) | Daily Princetonian (student) |
Trenton Times | Princeton Packet | Morning Sun (Mich. local)
Captain speaking: Marcus Schroeder and Nick Lake are co-captains for the 2009-10 season. Lake was a co-captain last season with Jason Briggs '09.
Speaking of captains speaking: The Central Michigan trip is one of four plane flights the Tigers will be taking this year. The others are to games against UNC Greensboro, Maine and California.
Movin' on up: Princeton improved its overall win total by seven games from 2007-08 to 2008-09, and moved up from a 3-11 Ivy season to a tie for second place by finishing 8-6 in league play.
The coach: Sydney Johnson is back for his third season as
Princeton's head coach after a seven-year international playing career and
three years as an assistant coach at Georgetown under fellow Princeton alumnus
John Thompson III '88. During his time at Princeton as a player, Johnson helped win two Ivy League titles leading to two NCAA Tournament bids and one NCAA Tournament victory.
We're back: Princeton returns 10 letterwinners from the 2008-09 team, losing four, and adds six freshmen. Among the returners are all five Tigers to start at least 15 games last season, including Douglas Davis, Dan Mavraides, Pawel Buczak, Kareem Maddox and Marcus Schroeder.
Super-starter: Pawel Buczak was the only Tiger to start every game of 2008-09.
Score it: Princeton returns its top nine scorers from last season, including Douglas Davis (12.3 ppg) and Dan Mavraides (10.3 ppg). Davis became the first true freshman in program history to lead the team in scoring for a season.
Breakout game: Douglas Davis scored 25 points in last season's opener against Central Michigan, though the Tigers fell in a 55-53 defeat. It was the first meeting between the two programs.
Two can play: While Douglas Davis had 25 points in last year's game against Central Michigan, Chris Kellermann led all scorers with 28 and added 13 rebounds for a double-double for Central Michigan. Kellermann, however, saw his season end after seven games with a foot injury.
For openers: The Tigers have been hit-or-miss in openers this decade, carrying a 4-5 record. Last season, Princeton lost at Jadwin to Central Michigan. In 2007-08, the Tigers defeated Central Connecticut in Jadwin to win Sydney Johnson's first game as coach.
Leaders: Princeton finished the '08-'09 season leading the Ivy League in scoring defense (57.2 ppg), free-throw percentage (.753), field goal percentage defense (.401), three-point defense (.295) and rebounding defense (32.0 rpg).
Big boards: Princeton's rebounding leaders from a season ago were its duo of big men, Zach Finley and Pawel Buczak, who tied with 4.1 rpg.
More Buczak: Pawel Buczak was more than a post player for the Tigers last year, ranking second on the team in steals (25), second in blocks (18), second in assists (56) and fifth in three-point percentage (.360) in addition to his team-best .550 field-goal percentage and tied-best 4.1 rebounds per game.
From the stripe: Kareem Maddox was Princeton's most successful free-throw shooter last season, hitting 83.6% of his attempts. Patrick Saunders (81.1%) was also above 80%.
Oh, my!: Central Michigan counts several prominent alumni in sports and basketball in particular, including broadcaster Dick Enberg, former Phoenix Suns sharpshooter Dan Majerle, L.A. Clippers center Chris Kaman and Indiana men's basketball coach Tom Crean.
Alumni coaches: Princeton comes in tied for second this year as a producer of Division I men's basketball coaches. North Carolina is No. 1, with seven alums coaching Division I teams, while the same five Tigers are at it again this year. The list includes Sydney Johnson '97, John Thompson III '88 (Georgetown), Chris Mooney '94 (Richmond), Joe Scott '87 (Denver) and Craig Robinson '83 (Oregon State). Indiana is the other school with five head coach alums.
Princeton vs. the MAC: The Tigers are an even 6-6 all-time against teams in the Mid-American Conference at the time of the game. When Princeton opened last season against Central Michigan, it was the first time in six years the Tigers had faced a MAC team after opening the 2002-03 season against Western Michigan at an Oklahoma-hosted event.
Princeton athletics in Michigan: This will be the first time a Princeton team has played in the state of Michigan since Dec. 9, 2006, when the women's ice hockey team won the back end of a two-game series at Wayne State. The men's basketball game will be the first time that a Princeton team will play at Central Michigan.
Princeton men's basketball in Michigan: The Tigers hold a 6-9 record when playing in the state of Michigan, having faced 11 teams in the Wolverine State. The Tigers have not played a game in Michigan since splitting at a Michigan State-hosted tournament on Dec. 29-30, 1992 against Washington State (loss) and New Hampshire (win).
Tigers against Michigan teams: Princeton has faced four of the seven Michigan schools in Division I basketball, including Michigan (2-5), Michigan State (1-5), Central Michigan (0-1) and Western Michigan (1-0). The Tigers have not faced Detroit, Eastern Michigan or Oakland.
Memorable Michigan moments: In 1998, Michigan State derailed Princeton's hopes of reaching the Sweet 16 with a second-round defeat at Hartford, Conn. In 1965, Michigan defeated Princeton in the national semifinal at Portland, Ore., sending the Tigers into the third-place game in which Bill Bradley scored 58 points to help defeat Wichita State 118-82.
On Central Michigan: The Chippewas have played two exhibition games this season, routing a pair of NAIA opponents in Marygrove (Mich.) and Indiana-South Bend by an average of 38 points. The Chippewas averaged 77.5 points per game while spreading the scoring around such that Robbie Harman (16 points vs. Marygrove) was the team's high scorer for either game.
Looking ahead: Princeton will have two home games in four days in the coming week, starting Wednesday, Nov. 18 against Manhattan and continuing Saturday, Nov. 21 at Army as part of a doublehader with the women's team taking on Delaware following. Manhattan opens at home Saturday against NJIT and Army, with new head coach and former Cornell assistant Zach Spiker, opens Friday at VMI.
Tigers from the Line (Returners from 2008-09)
| Player |
Season |
Career |
| 11 Foley |
0-0 |
0-1 (.000) |
| 14 Lake |
12-16 (.750) |
27-36 (.750) |
| 15 Comfort |
5-8 (.625) |
5-8 (.625) |
| 20 Davis |
31-41 (.756) |
31-41 (.756) |
| 21 Schroeder |
18-23 (.783) |
76-101 (.752) |
| 22 Saunders |
30-37 (.811) |
30-37 (.811) |
| 23 Maddox |
46-55 (.836) |
61-73 (.836) |
| 30 Finley |
35-47 (.745) |
73-124 (.589) |
| 33 Mavraides |
55-70 (.786) |
61-76 (.803) |
| 55 Buczak |
32-49 (.653) |
36-59 (.610) |
Season/Career Highs (Returners from 2008-09)
Pawel Buczak
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 15, last at Penn (3/10/09)
Rebounds: 10 vs. UNCG (1/3/09)
Assists: 5, last at Brown (2/14/09)
Steals: 4 vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Blocks: 4 vs. Columbia (2/7/09)
Field Goals: 7 at Manhattan (12/14/08)
Three-Pointers: 3 vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Free Throws: 7 at Penn (3/10/09)
Minutes: 35 at Cornell (3/7/09)
Career Highs
Points: 15, last at Penn (3/10/09)
Rebounds: 10 vs. UNCG (1/3/09)
Assists: 5, last at Brown (2/14/09)
Steals: 4 vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Blocks: 4 vs. Columbia (2/7/09)
Field Goals: 7 at Manhattan (12/14/08)
Three-Pointers: 3 vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Free Throws: 7 at Penn (3/10/09)
Minutes: 35 at Cornell (3/7/09)
John Comfort
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 6, last vs. Harvard (2/20/09)
Rebounds: 3 at Yale (2/13/09)
Assists: 1, last at Yale (2/13/09)
Steals: None
Blocks: 1 vs. Lehigh (1/7/09)
Field Goals: 2, last vs. Harvard (2/20/09)
Three-Pointers: 2 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Free Throws: 2, last vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Minutes: 19 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Career Highs
Points: 6, last vs. Harvard (2/20/09)
Rebounds: 3 at Yale (2/13/09)
Assists: 1, last at Yale (2/13/09)
Steals: None
Blocks: 1 vs. Lehigh (1/7/09)
Field Goals: 2, last vs. Harvard (2/20/09)
Three-Pointers: 2 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Free Throws: 2, last vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Minutes: 19 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Douglas Davis
2008-09 Season/Career Highs
Points: 27 at Manhattan (12/14/08)
Rebounds: 5 at Lafayette (12/30/08)
Assists: 4 at Lafayette (12/30/08)
Steals: 4 vs. Central Michigan (11/14/08)
Blocks: 2 vs. UNCG (1/3/09)
Field Goals: 10, last vs. Manhattan (12/14/08)
Three-Pointers: 6 at Manhattan (12/14/08)
Free Throws: 5 vs. Dartmouth (2/21/09)
Minutes: 43 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Career Highs
Points: 27 at Manhattan (12/14/08)
Rebounds: 5 at Lafayette (12/30/08)
Assists: 4 at Lafayette (12/30/08)
Steals: 4 vs. Central Michigan (11/14/08)
Blocks: 2 vs. UNCG (1/3/09)
Field Goals: 10, last vs. Manhattan (12/14/08)
Three-Pointers: 6 at Manhattan (12/14/08)
Free Throws: 5 vs. Dartmouth (2/21/09)
Minutes: 43 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Zach Finley
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 12 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Rebounds: 15 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Assists: 3, last vs. Yale (2/28/09)
Steals: 2, last vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Blocks: 2, last at Fordham (11/26/08)
Field Goals: 4, last vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Three-Pointers: None
Free Throws: 5 vs. Columbia (2/7/09)
Minutes: 37 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Career Highs
Points: 22 vs. C. Conn. St. (11/11/07)
Rebounds: 15 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Assists: 4, last vs. Dominican (1/27/08)
Steals: 2, last vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Blocks: 7 at Chaminade (11/21/07)
Field Goals: 10 vs. C. Conn. St. (11/11/07)
Three-Pointers: None
Free Throws: 4, last at Harvard (1/31/09)
Minutes: 37, last vs. Penn (2/14/09)
Bobby Foley
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 5 at Yale (2/13/09)
Rebounds: 2 vs. Columbia (2/7/09)
Assists: 1 vs. Columbia (2/7/09)
Steals: None
Blocks: None
Field Goals: 2 at Yale (2/13/09)
Three-Pointers: None
Free Throws: None
Minutes: 7 at Yale (2/13/09)
Career Highs
Points: 6, last vs. Lafayette (1/9/08)
Rebounds: 4 at Lehigh (1/6/08)
Assists: 2 at Lehigh (1/6/08)
Steals: 1 at Lehigh (4/6/08)
Blocks: None
Field Goals: 2, last at Yale (2/13/08)
Three-Pointers: 2, last vs. Lafayette (1/9/08)
Free Throws: None
Minutes: 22 at Lehigh (1/6/08)
Nick Lake
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 14 at Fordham (11/26/08)
Rebounds: 9 at Fordham (11/26/08)
Assists: 2, last at C. Conn. St. (12/20/08)
Steals: 1, last at Harvard (1/31/09)
Blocks: 1 at Dartmouth (1/30/09)
Field Goals: 4, last at C. Conn. St. (12/20/08)
Three-Pointers: 3 at St. Bona (12/6/08)
Free Throws: 4 at Fordham (11/26/08)
Minutes: 31 at Fordham (11/26/08)
Career Highs
Points: 16 at Brown (2/29/08)
Rebounds: 9 at Fordham (11/26/08)
Assists: 3, last vs. Penn (3/11/08)
Steals: 2, last vs. Penn (3/11/08)
Blocks: 1, last vs. Dartmouth (1/30/09)
Field Goals: 6 vs. Cornell (3/8/08)
Three-Pointers: 3, last at St. Bona (12/6/08)
Free Throws: 4, last at Fordham (11/26/08)
Minutes: 32 at Yale (3/1/08)
Kareem Maddox
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 11 vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Rebounds: 10 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Assists: 5 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Steals: 2, last vs. S. Carolina (12/2/08)
Blocks: 2, last vs. Lehigh (1/7/09)
Field Goals: 4, last vs. Columbia (2/7/09)
Three-Pointers: 2 at Brown (2/14/09)
Free Throws: 6 vs. Harvard (2/20/09)
Minutes: 45 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Career Highs
Points: 16 vs. Cornell (3/8/08)
Rebounds: 10 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Assists: 5 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Steals: 2, last vs. S. Carolina (12/2/08)
Blocks: 2, last vs. Lehigh (1/7/09)
Field Goals: 6, last vs. Cornell (3/8/08)
Three-Pointers: 2, last at Brown (2/13/09)
Free Throws: 6 vs. Harvard (2/20/09)
Minutes: 45 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Dan Mavraides
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 22 at Harvard (1/31/09)
Rebounds: 7 vs. UNCG (1/3/09)
Assists: 4 vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Steals: 3, last vs. Yale (2/28/09)
Blocks: 1, last vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Field Goals: 6, last vs. Yale (2/28/09)
Three-Pointers: 4, last vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Free Throws: 7, last vs. Lehigh (1/7/09)
Minutes: 43 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Career Highs
Points: 22 at Harvard (1/31/09)
Rebounds: 7 vs. UNCG (1/3/09)
Assists: 4 vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Steals: 3, last vs. Yale (2/28/09)
Blocks: 1, last vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Field Goals: 6, last vs. Yale (2/28/09)
Three-Pointers: 4, last vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Free Throws: 7, last vs. Lehigh (1/7/09)
Minutes: 43 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Patrick Saunders
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 13 at Cornell (3/7/09)
Rebounds: 9 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Assists: 3 at Penn (3/10/09)
Steals: 1, last at Penn (3/10/09)
Blocks: 6 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Field Goals: 4, last at Penn (3/10/09)
Three-Pointers: 2, last at Cornell (3/7/09)
Free Throws: 4, last vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Minutes: 33, last at Penn (3/10/09)
Career Highs
Points: 13 at Cornell (3/7/09)
Rebounds: 9 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Assists: 3 at Penn (3/10/09)
Steals: 1, last at Penn (3/10/09)
Blocks: 6 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Field Goals: 4, last at Penn (3/10/09)
Three-Pointers: 2, last at Cornell (3/7/09)
Free Throws: 4, last vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Minutes: 33, last at Penn (3/10/09)
Marcus Schroeder
2008-09 Season Highs
Points: 10, last vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Rebounds: 8, last vs. Concordia (1/25/09)
Assists: 7 vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Steals: 3 at Columbia (3/6/09)
Blocks: None
Field Goals: 4 vs. Cornell (2/6/09)
Three-Pointers: 3, last at Cornell (3/6/09)
Free Throws: 4 vs. Lehigh (1/7/09)
Minutes: 41 vs. Penn (2/17/09)
Career Highs
Points: 17 vs. Yale (3/3/07)
Rebounds: 8, last vs. Concordia (1/25/09)
Assists: 7, last vs. Brown (2/27/09)
Steals: 4, last vs. Dominican (1/27/08)
Blocks: 1, last at Cornell (2/8/08)
Field Goals: 5, last vs. Arizona State (11/20/07)
Three-Pointers: 3, last vs. Concordia (1/25/09)
Free Throws: 7 vs. Yale (3/3/07)
Minutes: 44 vs. Harvard (2/9/07)