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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Penn
Players Mentioned
Men's Basketball Wins Ivy Title, Forces Playoff for NCAA Bid
March 09, 2011 | Men's Basketball
Down by eight points early in the second half after a dismal opening half on offense, the Tigers rallied to win their third straight game at Penn's Palestra, 70-58 Tuesday night.
With the victory comes a share of the Ivy League championship, Princeton's 26th since the crown was first awarded in 1956 and its first since 2004. The 26 titles are the most for any Ivy League club.
"I've dreamed about this moment for them since the day I arrived at Princeton," Sydney Johnson, the Franklin C. Cappon-Edward G. Green '40 head coach, said. "That was my goal for our players. I wanted them to have the experience that I had. I have dreamed about it and dreamed about it and dreamed about it, and now they have it. I couldn't be happier."
The Ivy League title is also Princeton's seventh for its overall athletic program this winter and 11th of the 2010-11 academic year.
The victory, which finishes Princeton's regular season at 24-6 overall and 12-2 in Ivy League play, will set up a one-game playoff for the Ivy League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament against Harvard. The game will take place Saturday at Yale at 4 p.m.
Both Princeton and Harvard are Ivy League champions regardless of the outcome of the playoff game. The teams split their regular-season meetings, each winning on their home court.
Preparation for Harvard will begin soon enough, but Tuesday night was about enjoying the accomplishment.
"Right now, I am loving this moment," Princeton senior tri-captain Dan Mavraides said. "We're Ivy League champions. We're putting 2011 up on that banner."
Penn finishes 13-15 overall and 7-7 in Ivy League play, surrendering three straight games to Princeton at The Palestra for the first time since 1997-99.
The 24 victories tie this year's Tiger team for third all-time alongside the 1991 team and Johnson's senior-year team of 1997. Only the 1967 team, with 25, and the 1998 team, with 27, have won more.
Princeton jumped out to a 15-4 lead within the first nine minutes of the opening half but went cold thereafter, scoring just four points the rest of the half as Penn caught and passed the Tigers on the way to a 23-19 lead at the break.
Considering that the Tigers had shot 28.7% during the first half in addition to a 1-for-4 opening half from the free-throw line that included two misses of the front end of one-and-one attempts, four points was a fortunate deficit.
After Penn scored the first four points of the second half, Princeton went on an 8-0 run to tie it at 27-27. The game went back-and-forth from there until Princeton began pulling away after the midway point of the half. A bucket by Penn's Zack Rosen made it 44-42 with 8:28 left, and Princeton answered with an 11-0 run.
The game was never within one possession over the last eight minutes.
The Tigers shot an incredible 77.8% after the break, and the improvement on offense wasn't limited to one player. Ian Hummer had 12 of his 14 points after the break, while Kareem Maddox had 21 of his game-high 23 in the second half. Maddox also had all five of his assists on the night after the break.
Tickets for Saturday's playoff will be available by calling the Princeton athletic ticket office at 609-258-4TIX (4849) or in person, both beginning at 9 a.m. Prices are $20 for adults and $5 for youth 12 and under. The first 100 Princeton student tickets, with ID, will be free and $5 thereafter.
Free parking for Saturday's game will be available in Yale lots 77, 78 and 78W. Refer to the map here. Fans are advised to arrive well in advance to secure a space in these lots. For other parking info, visit the City of New Haven's site here.