Asheville Championship Up Next For Men’s Basketball

Game One: Princeton (2-0) vs. Minnesota (2-0)
Tip-Off: 7:30 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPN2
Listen: Varsity Network App | Princeton Sports Network
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Game One: Princeton (1-0) vs. South Carolina (1-0)
Tip-Off: 9:30 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPNEWS
Listen: Varsity Network App | Princeton Sports Network
Live Stats
Game Notes
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PRINCETON, N.J. – A pair of nationally televised games loom for the Princeton University men's basketball team, as it will play in the Asheville Championship from Friday, November 12, until Sunday, November 14, inside Harrah's Cherokee Center.

Following the Tigers game against the University of South Carolina, they will play again on Sunday, November 14, against either the University of Minnesota or Western Kentucky University. Tip-off will be at 5 p.m. EST or 7:30 p.m. EST, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2 or ESPNU.

Last Time Out
Princeton is coming off a 94-28 victory over Rutgers University-Camden in its season-opener on Tuesday, November 9, inside Jadwin Gymnasium. The Tigers' 66-point margin of victory was just eight points short of the program record of 74, when the Tigers defeated Dartmouth College 116-42 on January 14, 1967. Princeton's 94 points was also the most it has scored in a game that ended in regulation since November 25, 2016, when it defeated Rowan University 108-46.

As a team, the Tigers shot 54.3 percent from the field and out-rebounded the Scarlet Raptors, 37-26. The Tigers also finished with 20 steals, and forced 32 Rutgers-Camden turnovers.

Freshman Mason Hooks led all scorers with 12 points on 6-for-9 shooting and also had a game-high five rebounds. Senior Jaelin Llewellyn and freshman Darius Gakwasi tied for the game-high in assists, as each handed out five. Senior Drew Friberg led the game in steals, tying his career-high from December 29, 2019, against Lehigh University with five.

South Carolina
A Final Four team in 2017 and led by Head Coach Frank Martin, the Gamecocks are 1-0 on the season, overcoming USC Upstate 78-60 on Tuesday, November 12, in Columbia, South Carolina.

South Carolina is coming off a 12^th-place finish in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and a 6-15 record in 2020-21. South Carolina returns three of its top five scorers from a season ago, including senior forward Keyshawn Bryant (14.4 points per game), junior guard Jermaine Couisnard (10.1 points per game) and junior forward Wildens Leveque (6.1 points per game). Cousinard is also the Gamecock's top returning assist maker after averaging 3.2 per game last season.

Princeton and South Carolina have played twice previously, with the most recent contest being a 84-58 Gamecock win in 2008.

Minnesota
Led by first-year Head Coach Ben Johnson, the Gophers took down UMKC in their season opener, 71-56, on Tuesday, November 9. In the 2020-21 season, Minnesota had a 14-15 record and finished 6-14 in Big Ten play.

The Gophers return eight seniors, including returner Eric Curry who played 29 games last season and has appeared in 77 throughout his career.

Minnesota is 3-0 all-time against Princeton, with the most recent matchup taking place in 2004.

Western Kentucky
The Hilltoppers are 1-0 on the season, outlasting Alabama State 79-74 on Tuesday, November 9, in Bowling Green, Western Kentucky. In the 2020-21 season, WKU made it to the second round of the NIT, had a 21-8 overall record, along with an 11-2 record in Conference USA play.

Western Kentucky returns 30% of its scoring, 26% of its rebounding, 44% of its assists and 19% of its blocks from a season ago, and were picked third in the preseason Conference USA poll. It marked the first time since 2017-18 WKU was not picked to win the league.

Should the Tigers play the Hilltoppers, it would be the first meeting between the two programs in history.

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