NIT To Begin For No. 2 Seed Men's Basketball With UNLV At Home

NIT First Round: No. 2 seed Princeton (24-4, 12-2) vs. No. 4 seed Brown (19-12, 12-6) – 3/20, 8 p.m. ET
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Championship Central

PRINCETON, N.J. – The No. 2 seed Princeton University men's basketball team will host UNLV in a first round NIT contest on Mar. 20 at 8 p.m. ET inside Jadwin Gymnasium.

Princeton in the NIT
Princeton will be making an eighth NIT appearance and a third under Mitch Henderson, as he guided the Tigers to NIT appearances in 2016 and 2022. The Tigers hosted an NIT game most recently in 1999 in what was a 54-47 first round victory over Georgetown. In 1975, the Tigers were NIT Champions after defeating Providence in Madison Square Garden 80-69.

History With UNLV
The Tigers and Runnin' Rebels have played on four occasions, notably in the first round of the NCAA Tournament during Mitch Henderson's senior season on Mar. 12, 1998, in the Hartford Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut. That night, No. 5 seed Princeton advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after taking down No. 12 seed UNLV, 69-57. Henderson finished with 19 points on 8-for-14 shooting, a game-high six assists, three rebounds and three steals. Another impressive performance came from Brian Earl '99, who is also coaching in the 2024 NIT. Earl had a game-high 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting, five rebounds and five assists.

Potential Second Round Matchup
Should the Tigers defeat the Runnin' Rebels, Princeton would face the winner of third-seeded Providence and Boston College in the second round on Mar. 23 or Mar. 24 inside Jadwin Gymnasium.

Three-Peat
After defeating the University of Pennsylvania on Mar. 9, 105-83, the Tigers won the 2024 Ivy League Championship outright. It was Princeton's 30th total, 21st outright and third-straight Ivy title. The Tigers' 30 Ivy Championships are the most of any program in the conference, while their 21 outright titles are tied with the Quakers for the most. The championship is Princeton's fourth under Mitch Henderson, as he also guided the Tigers to a conference title in 2017, 2022 and 2023.

All-District Honors
Sophomores Caden Pierce and Xaivian Lee were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 13 First Team.

All-Ivy Honors
Mitch Henderson was named Ivy League Coach of the Year for the second time as he also won the award in 2017, while Pierce was named Player of the Year. Pierce is the first sophomore to win the award since Harvard's Seth Towns in 2018 and is the second Tiger in the past three seasons to be named Player of the Year after Tosan Evbuomwan '23 was a recipient in 2022. Pierce and Lee were unanimous First Team honorees, senior Matt Allocco was named to the Second Team for the second-straight season and senior Zach Martini was named Academic All-Ivy League.

All-Tournament Team
Freshman Dalen Davis was named to the Ivy Madness All-Tournament team after scoring 21 points in the Ivy Tournament semifinal against Brown.

Receiving Votes
Princeton has received votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll for 13 weeks and the AP Poll for nine weeks. The 2023-24 season marks the first time the Tigers have received votes since 1997-98, when Princeton ended the season ranked No. 8.

Princeton To The NBA
Tosan Evbuomwan '23 signed a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 23 is the only Ivy League player currently on an NBA roster. Previously, he signed a 10-day contract with the Pistons on Feb. 13. On Jan. 30, Evbuomwan signed a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and on Feb. 4 against the Boston Celtics, he recorded a game-high 12 rebounds and three assists in 29 minutes.

Strength Of Record
According to ESPN.com analytics, Princeton's strength of record ranks No. 39 of all teams.

One Of The Nation's Top Winning Percentages
The Tigers' winning percentage of 85.7 ranks No. 7 in all of NCAA Division I men's basketball.

Another 20 Win Season
With Princeton's win at Harvard on Feb. 23, it secured a 20-win season for the third-straight season. The victory mark Mitch Henderson's seventh season with at least 20 victories.

A Season Of Winning
The Tigers have won 24 games twice previously, in the 1990-91 and 1996-97 seasons. Princeton has won 25 games twice (1966-67, 2010-11) and the school record for most wins in a season is 27, achieved during the 1997-98 season.

National Notice
The Tigers rank No. 24 in the RPI. Princeton also checked in at No. 8 in the first NET rankings of the 2023-24 season announced on Dec. 3. Currently, the Tigers rank No. 55 in the NET Rankings.

Undefeated At Home
The Tigers ended the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record at home. Princeton is one of 13 teams to not lose at home during the regular season in 2023-24.

Fortress Jadwin
Princeton has always been tough at home, especially since the 2021-22 season as the Tigers have won 90.2% of their games and compiled a 37-4 record.

Road Warriors
Princeton's winning percentage on the road of 78.6% ranks seventh in the nation.

Sold Out
The Tigers' home games against Penn on Feb. 10 and Cornell on Mar. 2 were both sell outs. This season accounted for three out of the top five largest Jadwin crowds of the past twenty years and four out of the top nine.

A Historic Accomplishment
With 81-70 its victory over Drexel on Dec. 5, Princeton moved to 9-0 and tied its best start in school history. The Tigers also started 9-0 in 1919-20 and 1914-15.

A 15-Year First
The Tigers were the first DI team in the last 15 years to start 5-0 with four road wins.

Seven Games. Seven Venues. Seven Wins.
Each of the Tigers' first seven wins of the season took place in different venues. Princeton was the only team in the nation to win its first seven games in such fashion.

Taking Care Of The Ball
The Tigers lead the nation in least turnovers-per-game (8.2) and turnover percentage of (12.0%), which is turnovers divided by possessions. Princeton also ranks sixth in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (1.78).

Accurate From The Line
The Tigers have been one of best free throw shooting teams so far in 2023-24, currently shooting 80.95% which ranks second in the nation.

Efficient Offense
Princeton's two-point percentage of 56.3 ranks 31st in the nation. The Tigers' adjusted offensive efficiency of 117.1 also ranks 28th nationally. Raw offensive efficiency is points scored per 100 offensive possessions. The adjusted version adjusts for the quality of opposing defenses, the site of each game, and when each game was played (recent games get more weight.) Princeton's effective field goal percentage of 54.6% also ranks 28th nationally.

Drillers
The Tigers rank ninth in the nation in three pointers-per-game (10.4).

Get Stops
Defensive prowess is a feature of both basketball programs at Princeton, as the Tigers scoring defense (66.0) currently ranks 27th nationally.

Lute Olson Award Mid-Season Watch List
Lee was named to the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award mid-season watch list on Jan. 10. The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.

Lou Henson Award Mid-Season Watch List
Lee and Pierce were named to the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award mid-season watch list by College Insider. The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball and honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.

Seven Weekly Awards For Caden Pierce
Pierce was named Ivy League on Mar. 11, Mar. 4, Jan. 2, Dec. 4 and Nov. 13. He was also honored as Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Player of the Week on Jan. 23 and Dec. 5.

Pierce's Career Night
In Princeton's win over Penn at the Palestra on Mar. 9, Pierce had a game-high 32 points on 11-for-17 shooting from the field, 2-for-4 shooting from three and 8-for-9 shooting from the free throw line. His 11 made field goals were also a career high, and Pierce added nine rebounds and four assists.

A Historic Performance
Pierce's 26 points and 15 rebounds against Hofstra marked the first time a Princeton player recorded at least 26 points and 15 rebounds since Bob Roma '79 on Dec. 6, 1978, in a 67-65 loss to Seton Hall inside Jadwin Gymnasium. In that game, Roma had 29 points and 18 rebounds.

Rebounding Machine
Pierce's defensive rebound percentage of 27.6 ranks 15th nationally. His 7.39 defensive rebounds-per-game also rank 14th in the nation while his 9.3 rebounds rank 40th. Pierce's 14 double doubles rank 31st.

Top Ten In Everything
Pierce currently ranks second in the Ivy League in rebounding (9.3), fourth in assist/turnover ratio (2.0), sixth in scoring (15.7), sixth in free throw percentage (76.9), seventh in field goal percentage (54.6) and ninth in assists (3.2).

Caden Pierce Double-Double Tracker
With 19 points and 112 rebounds in the Ivy Madness semifinal against Brown on Mar. 16, Pierce recorded his 14th double-double of the season and the 21st of his career.

Double-Digit Rebounds
When Pierce grabs at least 10 rebounds, Princeton is 22-4.

Offensive Leader
Of players who have played a minimum of 40% of the team's minutes and are used on at least 28% of possessions, Lee's offensive rating of 116.6 ranks ninth in the nation.

X-Factor
Lee ranks second in the Ivy League in assist/turnover ratio (2.5) third in scoring (17.3), fourth in assists (3.6), fifth in free throw percentage (80.8%) and eighth in rebounding (5.9).

A Second Ivy Player of the Week Honor For Lee
Lee was named Ivy League Player of the Week on Jan. 8 and Nov. 27.

Offensive X-Plosion
With two 30-point games in 2023-24, Lee became the first Tiger to accomplish the feat since Myles Stephens '19 in the 2017-18 season. Should he have one more 30-point game, he'll become the first Tiger to record three since Brian Taylor '84 in the 1971-72 season when he recorded six. Lee has also scored 20 points or more nine times this season.

First 30-Point Game Since 2020
Lee became the first Tiger since Jaelin Llewellyn '22 on Mar. 7, 2020, against Cornell to score 30 points in a game when he recorded 30 in Princeton's win over Northeastern on Nov 25.

Lee's Development
Lee scored 152 points total his freshman season. It took just eight games for Lee to score 195 points in 2023-24. Lee has had five games of at least 20 points in 2023-24.

A Pair Of Weekly Honors For Matt Allocco
Senior Matt Allocco was named Ivy League Player of the Week on Feb. 19 and Dec. 5.

50-40-90 Club
Allocco is shooting 50.8% from the field, 43.8% from three and 90.9% from the free throw line. His free throw percentage ranks ninth in the nation. To qualify for the 50-40-90 club, a player must have played a minimum of 25 games during the season, averaged at least 25 minutes-per-game and scored at least 10 points-per-game. Since 1993, the earliest Sports Reference has records for individual shooting percentages, only 11 players have officially joined the club.

Leading From The Front
A two-time Second Team All-Ivy honoree, Allocco is averaging 12.9 points. He leads the Ivy League in free throw percentage (90.9) and assist/turnover ratio (2.6) while ranking fourth in three-point percentage (43.8), sixth in assists (3.4), and tenth in field goal percentage (51.0).

Iron Man
In victories over Brown and Yale on Feb. 16 and Feb. 17, Allocco averaged 17.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals. He played a full 40 minutes in both games without committing a turnover.

MVP Mush
Allocco was named MVP of the Jersey Jam after finishing with 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting and nine rebounds.

A Mush Milestone
Allocco drilled his 100th career three-pointer on Feb. 24 in the Tigers' victory at Dartmouth. He now has 111 career makes from three, which ranks 27th all-time in school history.

Martini In The Middle
Senior Zach Martini has provided valuable senior leadership for the Tigers, averaging 8.1 points and 3.4 rebounds. Martini has made multiple three-pointers in 14 different games this season and averages 2.0 made three-pointers-per game.

Ending The Regular Season On A High Note
Martini had a career night at the Palestra on Mar. 9 in Princeton's win over Penn. He finished with a career-high 23 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field and 7-for-9 shooting from three, with his made field goals and made three-pointer also being career-highs.

Blake P3ters
Junior Blake Peters made his 100th career three-pointer in the Tigers' win at Brown on Feb. 3, and now sits on 118 career made threes which ranks 24th all-time in school history. Peters 2.1 three-pointers-per-game ranks eighth in the Ivy League. In the Tigers' win over Columbia on Mar. 1, Peters scored a season-high 17 points and made five three-pointers.

A Two-Time Ivy Rookie Of The Week
Davis was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week on Mar. 4 Dec. 10. In the two wins before his Mar. 4 honor, Davis averaged 12.5 points on 58.8% shooting from the field and 62.5% shooting from three.

Power Five Wins
Since Mitch Henderson took over as Tigers' head coach in the 2011-12 season, the Tigers' 11 power five wins are the most of any Ivy program. Power five teams to fall to the Tigers include Rutgers (2011, 2013, 2023), Florida State (2011), Penn State (2013), USC (2017), Arizona State (2018), South Carolina (2021), Oregon State (2021), Arizona (2023) and Missouri (2023).

Run It Back
The Tigers are coming off a historic 2022-23 season that saw the team become the fourth No. 15 seed to make the Sweet Sixteen and win the Ivy League Tournament and Regular Season Championships, along with the London Basketball Classic. The Tigers defeated a pair of nationally-ranked opponents (No. 8 Arizona & No. 23 Missouri), became the 11th No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 seed after taking down Arizona 58-55 in the in the NCAA Tournament Round 64, and earned the largest ever margin of victory for a No. 15 seed thanks to a 78-63 win over Mizzou in the Round of 32.

The Athletic Pierce Family
Greg Pierce, Caden's father, played football at Northwestern and Stephanie Pierce, his mother, played volleyball at Northwestern. Alec Pierce, his brother, is a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts and was a second round pick in the 2022 NFL draft who played at University of Cincinnati. Pierce's other brother, Justin Pierce played three years of college basketball at William and Mary, graduated in three years and transferred to University of North Carolina for final year and played under Roy Williams, now plays professional basketball overseas.

Lee Leads The Canadian U19 Team
Xaivian Lee represented Canada over the summer in Hungary at the FIBA U19 World Cup. He averaged 14.1 points-per-game from the field along with 3.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds. Overall, Lee ranked 14th in scoring at the FIBA U19 World Cup.

Welcome, Luke Gore
Luke Gore joins the Tigers' coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2023-24. Gore joins the Tigers from Wichita State, where he served as the Director of Basketball Operations since April 2023. Prior to that, he was on staff at Valparaiso for 21 years, rising to Associate Head Coach in 2016. Gore served as an assistant coach from 2003 – 2016 and an administrative assistant from 2002 – 2003. During his time with the Beacons, Gore helped guide the program to 387 victories including a school record 30 wins in 2016. He led them to three NCAA Tournament appearances and four NIT appearances along with seven conference championships and three conference tournament titles.

Princeton Alumni
Five alums are doing grad years at other institutions due to an Ivy rule that does not allow student-athletes to compete for a fifth year in the conference. Ryan Langborg '23 is at Northwestern, Keeshawn Kellman '23 at Florida Gulf Coast, Jacob O'Connell '23 at Merrimack, Konrad Kiszka '23 at NYU and Jaelin Llewellyn '22 at Michigan.

#PrincetonPros
10 Princeton men's basketball alumni are currently playing professional basketball. Tosan Evbuomwan '23 (Detroit Pistons), Devin Cannady '20 (Birmingham Squadron), Ethan Wright '22 (CSM Tárgu Jiu), Ryan Schwieger '21 (Rasta Vechta), Richmond Aririguzoh '20 (Rasta Vechta), Myles Stephens '19 (Dolomiti Energia Trento), Amir Bell '18 (Anwil Wloclawek), Spencer Weisz '17 (Hapoel Haifa), Henry Caruso '17 (Élan Chalon), and Ian Hummer '13 (Osaka Evessa).

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