Princeton University Athletics
Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
Men's Basketball to Open 2022-23 Against Hofstra
November 06, 2022 | Men's Basketball
Game One: Princeton (0-0) vs. Hofstra (0-0), 11/7 - 7:30 p.m. ET
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PRINCETON, N.J. – The defending Ivy League Champion Princeton University men's basketball team will open the 2022-23 season on Monday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. against Hofstra inside Jadwin Gymnasium.
Run It Back
The Tigers are coming off a 2021-22 campaign that saw them win the Ivy League Championship outright, earn a bid to the NIT, earn a 23-7 overall record and a 12-2 record in conference play, defeat power five opponents South Carolina and Oregon State, and set four new team records; points per game, total points, three-point field goals per game, and total three-point field goals.
The Returners
Princeton welcomes back 2021-22 Ivy League Player of the Year and First-Team All-Ivy League honoree senior Tosan Evbuomwan. Also named NABC District 13 First Team, Evbuowan's 142 assists in 2021-22 rank No. 2 all-time for most assists in a season at Princeton. His 5.1 assists per game led the Ivy League, as did his 2.0 assist/turnover ratio, while his field goal percentage (54.1%) ranked second in the conference and 43rd in the nation. Evbuomwan also ranked fourth in the Ivy League in points (16.0), rebounds (6.7) and steals (1.4).
Senior Ryan Langborg is also back for Princeton, and his 66 made three-pointers in 2021-22 rank No. 13 all-time in school history for most made three-pointers in a season. He ranked third in the Ivy League in three-point percentage (40.5%) and eighth in three-point field goals per game (2.3). Langborg appeared in 29 games, and made 22 starts in 2021-22.
He will be joined in the backcourt by junior Matt Allocco, who appeared in all 30 games last season. Allocco shot 45-for-88 (51.1%) from the field, and 19-for-42 (45.2%) from three, while also recording a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio.
Joining that trio will be seniors Keeshawn Kellman, Konrad Kiszka and Jacob O'Connell, along with juniors Zach Martini and Leyi Adebayo. The Tigers' sophomores include Darius Gakwasi, Blake Peters and Philip Byriel.
The Newcomers
The Tigers welcome five talented newcomers for the Class of 2026; Xaivian Lee, Jack Scott, Caden Pierce, Deven Austin and Vernon Collins.
Like teammates Keeshawn Kellman and Philip Byriel, Lee also attended the Perkiomen School. Similiarly to Jaelin Llewellyn '22, Lee is from Canada.
Jack Scott is the son of current Air Force Head Coach and former Princeton player and coach Joe Scott '87, and Leah Scott '92, who ranks No. 2 all-time in assists for Princeton's women's program.
Caden Pierce comes from an athletic family; his brother Alec Pierce is a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts after playing at the University of Cincinatti, and his other brother, Justin Pierce, played basketball at William & Mary before doing a grad year at UNC. He now plays professionally in Europe. Both of his parents were varsity athletes Northwestern; his father Greg played football and his mother Stephanie played volleyball.
Vernon Collins is also from an athletic family, as his other Malveata Collins, played basketball at NC A&T, is a member of the Hall of Fame.
Deven Austin had a storied high school career at Wilbraham and Monson Academy, where he was a two-year varsity captain and a recipient of the Phil Shaw Award for best student-athlete.
Welcome, Lawrence Rowley
Tiger fans will see a new face on the bench in 2022-23, Assistant Coach Lawrence Rowley. Rowley joined Princeton's staff in July 2022, and was previously a Graduate Assistant at the College of New Jersey. A 2021 graduate of Emory University, Rowley was the 2020 UAA Defensive Player of the Year, and a Second Team All-UAA honoree in both 2020 and 2019. Despite losing his senior season due to COVID-19, Rowley ranks second on the school's all-time field goal percentage ladder (.560, 298-for-532), his 6.2 rebounds per game average ranks 10th on Emory's all-time list, and his 479 career rebounds rank No. 16 in program history. Rowley also ranks 10th on Emory's all-time blocked shots average ladder.
Grad Transfers
High-caliber players come through Princeton, and this is further reflected in the landing spots of the Class of 2022. Due to Ivy League rules, Ivy League student-athletes are now allowed to do a grad year. They can only do a grad year at a non-Ivy institution. Jaelin Llewellyn '22 is now at Michigan, Max Johns '22 at Duke, Ethan Wright '22 at Colorado and Drew Friberg '22 at Belmont.
Last Time They Met
Princeton was able to reduce an 18-point deficit to a single point, but the Tigers came up just short inside the David S. Mack Exhibition Center, falling 81-77, on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.
Along with out-scoring the Pride 43-31 in the second half, Princeton also shot 31-for-57 from the field for a season-high 54.4%
Senior Jaelin Llewellyn had a game-high 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field and 4-for-8 shooting from three, along with four rebounds. Senior Ethan Wright had his second-straight double-double and his fourth of the season, finishing with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while also handing out a career-best six assists. Lanborg shot 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-6 from three for 16 points, pulled down a career-high seven rebounds, and handed out a career-best four assists. Evbuomwan also added 14 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
Scouting Hofstra
The Pride was picked second in the 2022-23 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Preseason Coaches Poll, and finished the 2021-22 season with an overall record of 21-22, and a 13-5 record in conference play.
Senior guard Aaron Estrada was named 2022-23 Preseason CAA Player of the Year; Estrada is coming off a tremendous 2021-22 season in which he was the CAA Player of the Year, an All-CAA First Team selection, Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American, along with a slew of other honors. He started all 32 games and averaged 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.2 blocks per contest. He led Hofstra and the conference in scoring, while also leading the team in assists, steals, and minutes.
Dubar played in all 32 games a season ago and made 31 starts, while averaging 11.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. He ranked third on the team in scoring, fourth in three-point field goals made, third in rebounds, fourth in assists, and first in blocks. He scored in double figures 23 times and tallied 20 or more points on a pair of occasions.
Watch: ESPN+ | International Feed
Live Stats
Listen
Game Notes
Program
Tickets
PRINCETON, N.J. – The defending Ivy League Champion Princeton University men's basketball team will open the 2022-23 season on Monday, November 7, at 7:30 p.m. against Hofstra inside Jadwin Gymnasium.
Run It Back
The Tigers are coming off a 2021-22 campaign that saw them win the Ivy League Championship outright, earn a bid to the NIT, earn a 23-7 overall record and a 12-2 record in conference play, defeat power five opponents South Carolina and Oregon State, and set four new team records; points per game, total points, three-point field goals per game, and total three-point field goals.
The Returners
Princeton welcomes back 2021-22 Ivy League Player of the Year and First-Team All-Ivy League honoree senior Tosan Evbuomwan. Also named NABC District 13 First Team, Evbuowan's 142 assists in 2021-22 rank No. 2 all-time for most assists in a season at Princeton. His 5.1 assists per game led the Ivy League, as did his 2.0 assist/turnover ratio, while his field goal percentage (54.1%) ranked second in the conference and 43rd in the nation. Evbuomwan also ranked fourth in the Ivy League in points (16.0), rebounds (6.7) and steals (1.4).
Senior Ryan Langborg is also back for Princeton, and his 66 made three-pointers in 2021-22 rank No. 13 all-time in school history for most made three-pointers in a season. He ranked third in the Ivy League in three-point percentage (40.5%) and eighth in three-point field goals per game (2.3). Langborg appeared in 29 games, and made 22 starts in 2021-22.
He will be joined in the backcourt by junior Matt Allocco, who appeared in all 30 games last season. Allocco shot 45-for-88 (51.1%) from the field, and 19-for-42 (45.2%) from three, while also recording a 1.5 assist/turnover ratio.
Joining that trio will be seniors Keeshawn Kellman, Konrad Kiszka and Jacob O'Connell, along with juniors Zach Martini and Leyi Adebayo. The Tigers' sophomores include Darius Gakwasi, Blake Peters and Philip Byriel.
The Newcomers
The Tigers welcome five talented newcomers for the Class of 2026; Xaivian Lee, Jack Scott, Caden Pierce, Deven Austin and Vernon Collins.
Like teammates Keeshawn Kellman and Philip Byriel, Lee also attended the Perkiomen School. Similiarly to Jaelin Llewellyn '22, Lee is from Canada.
Jack Scott is the son of current Air Force Head Coach and former Princeton player and coach Joe Scott '87, and Leah Scott '92, who ranks No. 2 all-time in assists for Princeton's women's program.
Caden Pierce comes from an athletic family; his brother Alec Pierce is a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts after playing at the University of Cincinatti, and his other brother, Justin Pierce, played basketball at William & Mary before doing a grad year at UNC. He now plays professionally in Europe. Both of his parents were varsity athletes Northwestern; his father Greg played football and his mother Stephanie played volleyball.
Vernon Collins is also from an athletic family, as his other Malveata Collins, played basketball at NC A&T, is a member of the Hall of Fame.
Deven Austin had a storied high school career at Wilbraham and Monson Academy, where he was a two-year varsity captain and a recipient of the Phil Shaw Award for best student-athlete.
Welcome, Lawrence Rowley
Tiger fans will see a new face on the bench in 2022-23, Assistant Coach Lawrence Rowley. Rowley joined Princeton's staff in July 2022, and was previously a Graduate Assistant at the College of New Jersey. A 2021 graduate of Emory University, Rowley was the 2020 UAA Defensive Player of the Year, and a Second Team All-UAA honoree in both 2020 and 2019. Despite losing his senior season due to COVID-19, Rowley ranks second on the school's all-time field goal percentage ladder (.560, 298-for-532), his 6.2 rebounds per game average ranks 10th on Emory's all-time list, and his 479 career rebounds rank No. 16 in program history. Rowley also ranks 10th on Emory's all-time blocked shots average ladder.
Grad Transfers
High-caliber players come through Princeton, and this is further reflected in the landing spots of the Class of 2022. Due to Ivy League rules, Ivy League student-athletes are now allowed to do a grad year. They can only do a grad year at a non-Ivy institution. Jaelin Llewellyn '22 is now at Michigan, Max Johns '22 at Duke, Ethan Wright '22 at Colorado and Drew Friberg '22 at Belmont.
Last Time They Met
Princeton was able to reduce an 18-point deficit to a single point, but the Tigers came up just short inside the David S. Mack Exhibition Center, falling 81-77, on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.
Along with out-scoring the Pride 43-31 in the second half, Princeton also shot 31-for-57 from the field for a season-high 54.4%
Senior Jaelin Llewellyn had a game-high 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting from the field and 4-for-8 shooting from three, along with four rebounds. Senior Ethan Wright had his second-straight double-double and his fourth of the season, finishing with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while also handing out a career-best six assists. Lanborg shot 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-6 from three for 16 points, pulled down a career-high seven rebounds, and handed out a career-best four assists. Evbuomwan also added 14 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
Scouting Hofstra
The Pride was picked second in the 2022-23 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Preseason Coaches Poll, and finished the 2021-22 season with an overall record of 21-22, and a 13-5 record in conference play.
Senior guard Aaron Estrada was named 2022-23 Preseason CAA Player of the Year; Estrada is coming off a tremendous 2021-22 season in which he was the CAA Player of the Year, an All-CAA First Team selection, Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American, along with a slew of other honors. He started all 32 games and averaged 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.2 blocks per contest. He led Hofstra and the conference in scoring, while also leading the team in assists, steals, and minutes.
Dubar played in all 32 games a season ago and made 31 starts, while averaging 11.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. He ranked third on the team in scoring, fourth in three-point field goals made, third in rebounds, fourth in assists, and first in blocks. He scored in double figures 23 times and tallied 20 or more points on a pair of occasions.
Players Mentioned
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