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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Home Opener is Wednesday for Men's Basketball as Manhattan Visits
November 17, 2009 | Men's Basketball
Princeton (1-0, 0-0 Ivy) vs. Manhattan (1-0, 0-0 Metro Atlantic)
Wednesday, Nov. 18 at Jadwin Gym
Princeton Head Coach: Sydney Johnson (third season/Princeton '97/20-37 overall/at Princeton)
Radio: WPRB 103.3 FM/GoPrincetonTigers.com (John Sadak, Play-by-Play; Jerry Price, color)
All-Time Series: Princeton leads 15-3, 12-1 at Princeton
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video | Tickets
Last game: Princeton 71, Central Michigan 68
Last game's starters:
14 Nick Lake, Sr., F: Scored most points (9) since Dec. 20, 2008 (10 at Cent. Conn. St.)
21 Marcus Schroeder, Sr., G: 1-1 FG, 3 ast, 2 reb, 1 TO, 29 mins
24 Zach Finley, Sr., C: Scored most points (13) since Mar. 11, 2008 (13 at Penn)
33 Dan Mavraides, Jr., F: Co-led Princeton in scoring with 16 points
55 Pawel Buczak, Sr., C: Career-high 37 minutes, scoring 8 points
Princeton stats: 2009-10 Stats
Individual game-by-game: 12 Barrett | 14 Lake | 20 Davis | 21 Schroeder | 24 Finley | 33 Mavraides | 34 Hummer | 55 Buczak
Last three meetings vs. Manhattan: Dec. 14, 2008 | Dec. 16, 2007 | Nov. 22, 2006
Manhattan's last game: Manhattan 70, NJIT 58
Manhattan links: Manhattan men's basketball page | Manhattan game notes
Outside reading: Morning Sun (Michigan local) | Central Michigan Life (student) Story 2 | Trentonian (AP story) | Daily Princetonian (student)
Last time out: Princeton was ahead by as much as nine at Central Michigan and had a seven-point lead with five minutes to play Saturday afternoon. The Chippewas rallied to pull ahead inside the final minute, but a bucket, a blocked shot and a pair of free throws, all by Douglas Davis, sealed it for the 71-68 win.
Long time coming: Princeton had not opened a season with a win on an opponent's home floor since Pete Carril manned the sideline. To open the 1995-96 season, Princeton won at Lehigh with Sydney Johnson as team captain. Since then, Princeton has missed its last five chances to open the season with a road win. In the other eight season openers since, Princeton has opened on a neutral court four times and at home four times.
Gutting it out: Princeton was 2-4 last season in games decided by three points or fewer and lost their first three such games. The Tiger did not win such a game until Feb. 20, 2009, a three-point home win over Harvard. Only two of those six games came on the road, including a one-point loss at Lafayette (Dec. 30, 2008) and a three-point win at Penn in the season finale. This season, Princeton won such a game in its first opportunity.
Opening act: Douglas Davis has led or co-led Princeton in both of his season openers with the Tigers, scoring 25 against Central Michigan last season at Jadwin and 16 in Mount Pleasant this year.
Hot shooting: Princeton hit 58.5 percent of its shots at Central Michigan. The high percentage wasn't so unusual for the Tigers, who topped or met 50 percent five times last season. The Tigers last shot better than 58.5 percent on Feb. 21, 2009, when hitting 59 percent of its shots against Dartmouth.
Fast start: Princeton shot 73.7 percent in the first half at Central Michigan, making 14 of 19 attempts.
Around the Ivy: Ivy teams went a collective 5-5 during the first weekend of competition. Harvard pulled out two wins in the Bay State, including victories at Holy Cross and a three-overtime home game against William & Mary. Cornell was the only team to defeat a major-conference foe, winning at Alabama, while Brown picked up a win at St. Francis (N.Y.).
On Manhattan: The Jaspers opened their season with a home win over NJIT last Saturday afternoon. Senior 6-4 guard/forward Darryl Crawford led Manhattan in points (17), rebounds (nine), and assists (four), and co-led in steals (two). In a big key to victory, Manhattan outshot NJIT 48.3 percent to 31.7 percent.
Rookies: For the second straight year, Princeton saw two rookies score points in the team's first game. Last season, Douglas Davis and Patrick Saunders scored in their collegiate debuts. This season, Ian Hummer and Will Barrett scored their first time out.
Tight rotation: Princeton used just eight players in the season opener, something it had done just once all last season. That occurrence came against Maine in what was also an early-season contest in Princeton's second game.
From downtown: Central Michigan hit 10 threes to Princeton's seven in the season opener. Only three times last season did Princeton's opponent make more attempts from beyond the arc than did the Tigers. The most recent came at Columbia in the third-to-last game of the season.
Everybody's in: All eight Tigers scored in the season opener, with every Tiger getting at least one field goal.
New York: Princeton has won four straight in Jadwin Gym against New York-based teams, including two against Columbia and two against the pre-Ivy opponents, Dominican and Concordia. The last Empire State team to win at Jadwin was Manhattan on Dec. 16, 2007.
Last meeting vs. Manhattan: Princeton never led in a 70-60 loss at Manhattan on Dec. 14, 2008. Chris Smith, who has since transferred to Louisville and is sitting out this season under NCAA transfer rules, scored 35 points. It was effectively a shootout with fellow guard Douglas Davis, who scored 27 for Princeton.
They're back: Princeton returns 57 of 60 points from last season's meeting, all but the three free throws hit by Jason Briggs '09. In addition to Douglas Davis' 27 points, Pawel Buczak had 15 for the Tigers. Manhattan returns just 25 of 70 points, led by Antoine Pearson's 13 in that contest.
Last meeting in Jadwin: Manhattan used a 15-2, six-minute run in the second half to rally from what was a seven-point deficit with 8:20 to play to defeat Princeton 71-67 on Dec. 16, 2007. Antoine Pearson had 22 points to lead all scorers, while Zach Finley had 17 to lead Princeton. Both return for this meeting in their senior seasons.
Big dance: Both Princeton and Manhattan are looking for their first NCAA Tournament berths since 2004. That season, Princeton lost to Texas while Manhattan pulled an upset of Florida and lost to Wake Forest by just four in the second round. Both teams' coaches at the time, John Thompson III for Princeton and Bobby Gonzalez for Manhattan, are now coaching in the Big East at Georgetown and Seton Hall, respectively.
The series vs. Manhattan: Princeton leads Manhattan all-time 15-3, though the first nine of those games came when the U.S. had William Howard Taft (a Yale alum) and Princeton alumnus Woodrow Wilson as president. The teams played four times from 1978-82 and had another home-and-home in 1997 and 1998 before starting the current stint in 2006. The Tigers won in the first meeting of the current series at Manhattan but has lost the two meetings since.
Sydney Johnson vs. the MAAC: Johnson's record vs. the MAAC (4-2) is only three games different from his record vs. Manhattan. Johnson helped sweep a home-and-home with Fairfield while an assistant at Georgetown, and he got his second win as head coach against Iona in 2007.
Princeton vs. the MAAC: Princeton has an 18-7 record all-time against teams in the Metro Atlantic conference at the time of the game. Princeton has won 17 of the last 20 matchups against MAAC schools. Canisius, Fordham, Iona, La Salle, Loyola, Manhattan, Niagara and Rider are the MAAC members or now-former members Princeton has faced.
Princeton vs. the MAAC in '09-'10: The Tigers will face two MAAC teams this season, Manhattan and Marist. The Marist game will be at the home of the Red Foxes on Jan. 6, 2010.Manhattan in the Bronx:
Manhattan College was located in Manhattan from its founding in 1853 until moving
to the Bronx in 1922. Princeton and Manhattan became co-educational around the
same time, Princeton in 1969 and Manhattan in 1973.
Take me out to the ballgame: Manhattan College credits itself with starting the
seventh-inning stretch. Brother Jasper, the namesake for the athletic teams,
directed restless students at a Manhattan College baseball game against a
semi-pro team to stand and stretch before the bottom of the seventh, and the
tradition spread as Manhattan played the New York Giants in exhibitions at the
Polo Grounds in the 1880s and 1890s.
We like that sport too: Manhattan College played NYU in the first
intercollegiate lacrosse game in November 1877. Just 115 years later in 1992,
Princeton won its first of six NCAA titles in a 10-year span in men's lacrosse.
Looking ahead: Princeton will host Army at 2 p.m. Saturday in a men's-women's doubleheader that will see the women taking on Delaware right after. The men will then have three straight road games, at George Washington, Cal and Rutgers, before hosting Lafayette on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 5 p.m.
Individual notes
Lake show: In his first career start, Nick Lake had his most productive game statistically in quite a while Saturday, scoring nine points on 3-for-4 shooting, all from behind the arc, and pulling down six rebounds. Lake had as many as nine points in three games last season, the last coming in a 10-point performance at Central Connecticut on Dec. 20, 2008. His only game with six or more rebounds last season was at Fordham on Nov. 26, 2008, when he had nine boards.
Road warrior: Nick Lake had the majority of his production last season away from Jadwin Gym, scoring 59 of his 87 points and getting 30 of his 41 rebounds on the road.
Early riser: Nick Lake had 56 of his 87 points last season and 32 of his 41 rebounds in the 2008 portion of the campaign, in which he played nine of his 24 games.
Double-digit Dan: Junior Dan Mavraides picked up where he left off last season, scoring 16 points at Central Michigan. Mavraides scored 10-plus points 14 times last season, including in the season finale at Penn.
Fine performance: Zach Finley scored 13 points at Central Michigan, his most since the season finale in 2007-08, when he also had 13 against Penn at Jadwin Gym.
New role, no problem: Douglas Davis played in but didn't start the last five games of last season after starting the first 22. He still scored double-digits in all five of those games. Davis came off the bench against Central Michigan and again scored double-digits. Davis' average when he does not start is 13.3 points per game compared to 12.2 ppg when he starts. Davis is also producing that higher point average in fewer minutes in his non-starts, playing 31.8 minutes in starts and 26.0 off the bench.
Stepping up: All in the game's final 30 seconds, Douglas Davis drove for a layup to put Princeton back in the lead, blocked a shot by Central Michigan's Robbie Harman, who led all scorers with 22 points, and hit two free throws to seal the win. Davis hit all six free throws in the season opener, a career-high total for the sophomore.
Tigers from the Line
| Player |
Season |
Career |
| 3 Sherburne | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 11 Foley |
0-0 |
0-1 (.000) |
| 12 Barrett | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 14 Lake |
0-0 |
27-36 (.750) |
| 15 Comfort |
0-0 |
5-8 (.625) |
| 20 Davis |
6-6 (1.000) |
37-47 (.787) |
| 21 Schroeder |
0-0 |
76-101 (.752) |
| 22 Saunders |
0-0 |
30-37 (.811) |
| 23 Maddox |
0-0 |
61-73 (.836) |
| 24 Finley |
3-4 (.750) |
76-128 (.594) |
| 33 Mavraides |
4-6 (.667) |
65-82 (.793) |
| 34 Hummer | 0-1 (.000) | 0-1 (.000) |
| 40 Gabel | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 41 Darrow | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 52 Connolly | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 55 Buczak |
2-4 (.500) |
38-63 (.603) |
Season/Career Highs (Returners from 2008-09)
Pawel Buczak
2009-10 Season Highs
Points: 8 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Rebounds: 2 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Assists: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Steals: 0
Blocks: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Field Goals: 3 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Three-Pointers: 0
Free Throws: 2 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Minutes: 37 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
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: 37 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
John Comfort
2009-10 Season Highs
Has not played
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
2009-10 Season/Career Highs
Points: 16 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Rebounds: 4 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Assists: 2 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Steals: 0
Blocks: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Field Goals: 4 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Three-Pointers: 2 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Free Throws: 6 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Minutes: 22 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
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: 6 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Minutes: 43 vs. Maine (11/19/08)
Zach Finley
2009-10 Season Highs
Points: 13 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Rebounds: 4 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Assists: 0
Steals: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Blocks: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Field Goals: 5 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Three-Pointers: 0
Free Throws: 3 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Minutes: 24 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
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
2009-10 Season Highs
Has not played
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
2009-10 Season Highs
Points: 9 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Rebounds: 6 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Assists: 0
Steals: 0
Blocks: 0
Field Goals: 3 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Three-Pointers: 3 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Free Throws: 0
Minutes: 33 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
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 Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Free Throws: 4, last at Fordham (11/26/08)
Minutes: 33 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Kareem Maddox
2009-10 Season Highs
Has not played
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
2009-10 Season Highs
Points: 16 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Rebounds: 4 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Assists: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Steals: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Blocks: 0
Field Goals: 5 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Three-Pointers: 2 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Free Throws: 4 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Minutes: 27 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
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
2009-10 Season Highs
Has not played
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
2009-10 Season Highs
Points: 3 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Rebounds: 2 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Assists: 3 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Steals: 0
Blocks: 0
Field Goals: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Three-Pointers: 1 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
Free Throws: 0
Minutes: 29 at Central Michigan (11/14/09)
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)