Men's Basketball Falls Just Short to Vermont, 79-74, Despite Happy's Career-High 22 Points

Wednesday, November 26

Kissimmee, Fla.

5:00 PM

Princeton University

3-6,0-0Ivy League

Vermont

5-3,0-0America East

Vermont

Princeton

Men's Basketball Falls Just Short to Vermont, 79-74, Despite Happy's Career-High 22 Points

November 26, 2025 | Men's Basketball

Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – With help from a career-high 22 points from sophomore CJ Happy, the Princeton University men's basketball team rallied back from 23 down to lead in the second half but fell just short to Vermont in its final game at the Terry's Chocolate ESPN Events Invitational Wednesday evening inside State Farm Field House, 79-74.

Happy's 22 points came on 9-for-12 shooting from the field and 4-for-6 shooting from three, with his nine made field goals also a career-high and his four made three-pointers tying his career-best. Junior Jackson Hicke recorded his second consecutive 20-point game, while also grabbing four rebounds. Sophomore Malik Abdullahi was the Tigers' third double figure scorer as he finished with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting, while also recording a team-high six rebounds and a game and career-high four assists. Abdullahi tied his career-high in points and made field goals and set a new career-high in assists.

The Catamounts got off to a strong start, racing out to a 16-7 lead with 15:10 on the clock. While a layup by junior Jacob Huggins narrowed the deficit to seven, 16-9, at 14:53, the momentum stayed with Vermont as the Catamounts would surge out to 34-15 lead with 7:23 left in the half. Vermont would on to take a 43-26 advantage into halftime.

The Tigers came out of the second half on fire; with 18:01 left to play a three-pointer by sophomore Jack Stanton ignited a 16-0 run that saw Princeton tie the score, 47-47, with 14:24 on the clock. Princeton would soon take the lead after an Abdullahi jumper at 10:29, 56-54.

A turnaround jumper by Hicke put the Tiger ahead by four, 67-63, with 6:14 left to play, but the Catamounts fought back to tie it, 74-74, with 1:39 left to play. Vermont ended the game on an 8-0 run and went on to earn the 79-74 win.

Up Next
Princeton takes on Saint Joseph's (3-3) at 1 p.m. on Nov. 30 inside CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, New Jersey, in the 2025 Deborah Heart & Lung Center Jersey Jam.