Princeton/Harvard III: The Greatest Challenge opens this Saturday afternoon exclusively in New Haven. For the ease of new site members and to put all the information you require on the teams' first two meetings in a central location, here are links to our exclusive game articles, interviews, HD box scores and photo essays for each contest.
February 4, 2011
Jadwin Gym - Princeton, NJ
Ful recap: Princeton 65 Harvard 61
Postgame audio - Coach Sydney Johnson, Dan Mavraides, Kareem Maddox & Ian Hummer:
"Since I've been here, all I've ever wanted for these guys is to have the type of experience that I had [as a player] and we're getting close." - Princeton head coach Sydney Johnson
Playing in front of a high volume (both definitions) undergraduate throng decked out in orange and black, Princeton took a significant step closer to how things were when Johnson roamed the hardwood instead of the sidelines, defeating Harvard 65-61 in a meeting between two of the Ivy League’s three unbeatens.
Ian Hummer’s two free throws with :04.8 left in the second half gave the Tigers a two possession lead and snuffed the final embers of a Crimson rally.
A frustrated Hummer was forced to sit the last 14:03 of the opening stanza, picking up his second personal foul after connecting with Christian Webster attempting a three pointer on the perimeter. Three free throws sent the Tigers in their first double digit hole since behind 24-13 in November against Bucknell.
Princeton battled from down 11. When Laurent Rivard foolishly fouled Douglas Davis on a running three point try in transition with less than a second before halftime, Davis canned all three tries and the Tigers were within one.
It was the first leg of a 19-2 Princeton push that saw the home team score the initial nine of the second half to take their first lead and open up as large as an 11 point advantage.
Hummer scored 15 of his 17 in the second half, one of three Tigers in double digits. Kareem Maddox was also strong inside, scoring 14 and blocking a career best five shots. Dan Mavraides struggled with his shot, 1-9 inside the arc but 7-8 at the free throw line for 15. Mavraides’ six assists set a career high.
Keith Wright’s 16 points and 11 rebounds paced the Crimson.
March 5, 2011
Lavietes Pavilion - Cambridge, MA
Full recap: Harvard 79 Princeton 67
Postgame audio - Coach Sydney Johnson, Kareem Maddox & Dan Mavraides:
Security moved the fancy black chairs with red school crests on the back away from in front of the Harvard student section in the final minute on Saturday night, then at the horn the Crimson fans raced to center court leaping up and down.
400 strong, hopping and jumping and cheering following the home team's 79-67 victory over Princeton.
The Tigers shook hands with their counterparts from Harvard, frustrated they were unable to clinch the 2010-11 Ivy League title outright and fully aware that to advance to the NCAA Tournament they would now have to win on Tuesday at the Palestra versus Penn and again on a neutral site in a third match with the Crimson.
Instead of walking away with their backs to the jubilation up the narrow staircase leading to the visiting locker room, Tiger head coach Sydney Johnson had his team remain on the bench as spectators filed out of Lavietes Pavilion past them.
There they sat in silence.
Watching Harvard. Watching their fans.
Nearly five minutes passed.
"I think it is important to understand what's at stake," Johnson said. "I think it is important to see other people celebrate. You want to be that team."
Eventually the Princeton players and staff stood as one and traipsed away from the festivities they had hoped to be a part of.
