Cook's Put-Back in Closing Seconds Lifts Princeton to 57-56 Win at Harvard

Saturday, February 4

Cambridge, Mass.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

12-6, 5-0

Harvard

12-7, 4-2

Princeton

Harvard

Steven Cook led Princeton with 19 points, including getting the game-winning basket.

Cook's Put-Back in Closing Seconds Lifts Princeton to 57-56 Win at Harvard

February 04, 2017 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

Below: Derek Jones' and Noah Savage's call of Cook's basket and the end of the game

Photo Gallery | Postgame Video & Highlights | Postgame Notes

It would've been an awesome way to get to 1,000 career points, but Steven Cook is quite happy to stand at 999, at least until Tuesday.

The senior, who entered the game 20 points short of the millennium mark, grabbed a missed free throw rebound under the basket and put it right back up and in with 2.9 seconds to go, putting Princeton ahead of Harvard 57-56.

Corey Johnson's 3-point try at the buzzer hit iron, and Princeton - for the first time since 2010 - left Cambridge a winner. The Tigers, who extended their winning streak to eight games, also stand 5-0 in the Ivy League, holding a one-game lead on Yale (4-1) and a one-and-a-half game lead on Harvard (4-2) with the midway point of the Ivy League season coming next week.

A 16-5 Princeton first-half run put the Tigers up 30-22 heading into the final minute before the break, and a late Harvard basket made the halftime edge six points for the Tigers, 30-24.

Though the Tigers went on to score the first seven points of the second half and build a lead as large as 13 with 14-plus minutes to go, Harvard whittled away. Princeton was up five at 46-41 with six minutes remaining before a 13-4 Harvard run - capped by a Chris Lewis bucket - put the Crimson up four with 1:19 to go, 54-50.

Then, the possession-by-possession back-and-forth began. Spencer Weisz went to the line for Princeton and split, and though Princeton then got the ball back on a traveling call, a Devin Cannady 3 missed and Lewis went to the line for two for Harvard with 30 seconds left. Lewis missed both, keeping the Harvard lead at three at 54-51, and an Amir Bell drive to the basket put Princeton within one with 21 seconds left and the score 54-53.

After Bryce Aiken hit two free throws to put Harvard back up three points at 56-53 with 15 seconds left, Myles Stephens drove to the rim and was fouled, hitting the layup for the chance to tie. Stephens missed the free throw, but Cook was on the spot with the put-back.

Princeton overcame advantages for Harvard from the field, 41.7 percent to 37.5 percent, and on the glass, 40-32, by taking advantage of 17 Harvard turnovers while giving just 10 back. Princeton held an 18-12 edge in points off those turnovers.

Cook's 19 points led all scorers while Stephens (15), Weisz (13), and Bell (10) joined him in double figures. Siyani Chambers led the Crimson with 17 points, one of three Harvard players with 10-plus.

Princeton will have a quick turnaround, heading to Penn for Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tip.