Pitt 82 Princeton 61.

March 19, 2012 at 9:32 pm
Filed under 11-12, Audio, Basketball, Princeton

Box Score : HD Box Score

Postgame audio - Coach Mitch Henderson, Ian Hummer, Mack Darrow & Douglas Davis:

Princeton’s year came to an unexpectedly undramatic end on Monday night in the second round of the College Basketball Invitational, as the Tigers fell by 21 at Pitt.

Everything that was attained easily six days previous in Evansville was exceptionally hard versus a Big East foe. Frustrated by the Panthers’ defense jumping out to snuff hand off screens and slice apart ball screens, Princeton played their opening 20 minutes with an uncharacteristic lack of poise and rightfully trailed 49-25 at the break.

Even when the ball was going in, such as a first half stretch where the Tigers made three consecutive shots behind the arc but still could not decrease the Panthers’ lead, Princeton was unable to slow, stop or delay a Pitt team that opened 8-14 from distance.

“We knew when [Pitt] scored points they were dangerous. Two games in a row, a team that makes just over five threes a game makes nine,” head coach Mitch Henderson said. “We just couldn’t handle that.”

Going inside with greater regularity after intermission, the Tigers turned a -26 crevasse into an 11 point deficit with more than seven minutes remaining but on a pair of possessions that could have drawn within single digits, quality looks from Ian Hummer and Brendan Connolly bounded out.

“I thought we played well for spurts in the second half, but they were better,” Henderson assessed.

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One new member away from our goal!

March 18, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Filed under Administrative, Basketball, Princeton

When princetonbasketball.com started its fundraising campaign for the 2011-12 season back in September, a member goal was set for the first time in the history of this site.

As of today, we're one new subscriber away from hitting that magic number of 250.

Being someone who takes pride in accomplishing goals, I'd love it if a reader who is not a current site member could push us over the top.

Unsure about who we are, what we do or what your subscription goes towards? Read this piece, which I feel makes a compelling case to join the princetonbasketball.com family.

A current student at Princeton or elsewhere at any educational level? You're entitled to 50% off a subscription. Just ask for a coupon code.

Still on the fence? Email me and I'll send you testimonials from satisfied active members who believe that princetonbasketball.com offers the best, most comprehensive coverage of anyone tracking the Tigers and the rest of the "Carril Cradle."

Finally, if you want to spread the word to people you know, I won't stop you! Send them here.

This year (which isn't over yet) has been a very satisfying one to report on and reaching this total would be a great way to kick off another postseason drive to Pittsburgh and hopefully beyond.

Let's do this!

Yrs,

Jon Solomon
princetonbasketball.com

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Know! Your! Foe! - Pitt.

March 17, 2012 at 9:58 pm
Filed under Basketball, Know Your Foe, Princeton

When the second round CBI pairings were confirmed, I sent out several emails that evening to potential Know! Your! Foe! interview subjects and the only person who got back to me was Chas Rich (potentially pictured above) of Pitt Blather.

I'm glad he did. Rich tackled my preview questions admirably in advance of Pittsburgh hosting Princeton on Monday night. Our conversation follows after the jump.

If you cover a team the Tigers will face down the line, let us know. It would be great to talk with you.

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Mitch Henderson discusses Pitt.

March 16, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Filed under Audio, Basketball, Princeton

For the second occasion this week, yet under significantly less hectic circumstances, Head coach Mitch Henderson talked with local media about Princeton's upcoming College Basketball Invitational opponent. Audio from that availability is posted above.

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From 1996: Pete Carril retires.

March 16, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Filed under Basketball, Pete Carril, Princeton, Video

16 years ago this month, Pete Carril announced his retirement following 29 seasons coaching Princeton.

This WZBN piece from after the conclusion of the 1995-96 campaign has it all: An emotional interview full of great Coach Carril quotes prior to his employment by the Sacramento Kings, archival game clips including many current coaches as undergraduates, tennis + cigar footage, John Thompson III with hair and those terrible white/black home uniforms I had tried hard to forget.

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Thursday News:

March 15, 2012 at 7:58 am
Filed under Basketball, Craig Robinson, Fairfield, Oregon State, Pete Carril, Princeton, Today's News

Thursday, March 15th:
Harvard (12) vs. Vanderbilt (5) - 4:20 pm ET - NCAA - TNT

Friday, March 16th:
Belmont (14) vs. Georgetown (3) - 3:00 pm ET - NCAA - truTV
Northwestern (4) vs. Washington (1) - 10:00 pm ET - NIT - ESPNU

Saturday, March 17th:
Manhattan vs. Fairfield - 4:00 pm ET - CIT

Monday, March 19th:
Princeton vs. Pitt - 7:00 pm ET - CBI
Butler vs. Penn - 8:00 pm ET - CBI - HDNet

It is official: The Tigers will visit Pittsburgh on Monday night in the next round of the CBI. The Panthers made 14 three pointers and defeated Wofford at home 81-63.

Ian Hummer was named second-team NABC All-District 13. The Princeton junior made ESPN's Top Plays, but not for a reason I expect he's happy with.

The Town Topics writes about Senior Night at Jadwin Gym.

Fairfield (20-14) was playing lackadaisically against Yale (19-10) in the first half of their first round CIT matchup. Trailing by 13 at the break, Stags assistant coach Tony Newsom lit into his team in the locker room and the final 20 minutes were a total energy flip. Scoring 23 of the first 26 points out of intermission, Sydney Johnson's squad advanced 68-56.

On the other side of the CBI bracket, Oregon State (20-14) raced past Western Illinois, 80-59. You can see a full update of the tournament pairings here.

Craig Robinson guested on Colin Cowherd's unlistenable radio program.

There is a brief Pete Carril quote in a piece about Bill Raftery.

Around the Ivy League: Penn (20-12) earned a 74-63 CBI decision over Quinnipiac. The Quakers will host Butler on Monday night at The Palestra.

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More Princeton/Evansville highlights.

March 14, 2012 at 12:08 pm
Filed under Basketball, Princeton, Video

It is rare for a school's collection of clips to include much, if any, or the opposition's plays but this 67 second package by Evansville does it right.

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Princeton/Evansville highlights.

March 14, 2012 at 1:02 am
Filed under Basketball, Princeton, Video

Postgame remarks and highlights from tonight's wild affair.

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Princeton 95 Evansville 86.

March 14, 2012 at 12:18 am
Filed under 11-12, Audio, Basketball, Princeton

Box Score : HD Box Score

Postgame audio - Ian Hummer, Patrick Saunders & Douglas Davis:

Postgame audio - Coach Mitch Henderson:

Douglas Davis has played in 121 games, more than any other Princeton Tiger in program history.

He’s had a lot of stellar stat lines over his four years, but in what could have been his concluding collegiate outing, Davis saved his best for what ended up not being his last.

Davis poured in a career high 31 on 9-11 shooting, including Princeton’s final 10 as the Tigers closed out a ludicrous, fast-paced, defense-optional sprint versus Evansville in the first round of the CBI with a 10-1 run after the scoreboard was even for a 15th and final time.

“I’ve never been a part of a game like that,” said a bemused and relieved head coach Mitch Henderson afterwards.

A spinning Davis jumper with the shot clock expiring gave Princeton the lead to stay with 2:47 remaining and after Kenny Harris split a pair at the line Davis connected once more from just behind the free throw stripe for a three point lead.

“We never looked back after that,” said Ian Hummer, who added 18 and a game high eight rebounds. “It was one of those shots where it was like ‘Alright, now we’re not losing [tonight].’ Doug led our team today and hopefully we can keep that going.”

Ned Cox’s left wing three was short and Davis capped a superb performance with six consecutive free throws, a trio of one-and-ones.

Evansville’s Colt Ryan was a superb 11-12 from the floor and scored 21 of his 29 in the first half. Henderson was forced to shape the Tigers into a 2-3 zone for one of the first times this season in order to try and cool off Ryan.

“We had to do something,” Henderson admitted. “We changed defenses about 30 times in the first half. None of it worked.”

Both teams shot over 60% on the evening.

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Tuesday News:

March 13, 2012 at 8:50 am
Filed under Basketball, Craig Robinson, Northwestern, Pete Hegseth, Princeton, Today's News

Today's Game: Princeton (19-11 / 10-4) vs. Evansville (16-15 / 9-9)
Location: Ford Center - Evansville, IN
Time: 8:00 pm ET
Radio: 103.3 fm WPRB
TV: HDNet
Internet: goprincetontigers.com
Series History: Evansville leads 1-0.
Last meeting: Evansville 53 Princeton 32 - 12/6/07

Tuesday, March 13th:
Akron (5) vs. Northwestern (4) - 9:00 pm ET - NIT - ESPN2

Wednesday, March 14th:
Yale vs. Fairfield - 7:00 pm ET - CIT
Quinnipiac vs. Penn - 7:30 pm ET - CBI
Western Illinois vs. Oregon State - 10:00 pm ET - CBI - HDNet

Thursday, March 15th:
Harvard (12) vs. Vanderbilt (5) - 4:20 pm ET - NCAA - TNT

Friday, March 16th:
Belmont (14) vs. Georgetown (3) - 3:00 pm ET - NCAA - truTV

The Trentonian and the Courier Press preview tonight's game.

This evening Northwestern begins what the Wildcats hope will be a historic run to the NIT title.

Former NU guard and briefly tenured Princeton assistant Craig Moore made 10 three pointers in a game for his Romanian team.

The name Craig Robinson has been mentioned in connection with the open Illinois coaching job.

Basketball was the reason Pete Hegseth chose Princeton over West Point.

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Know! Your! Foe! - Evansville.

March 12, 2012 at 9:23 pm
Filed under Basketball, Know Your Foe, Princeton

The word "hero" gets tossed around all too often in our culture, but what Bennet Hayes (not pictured above) of College Basketball Road Trip has done in providing site members information on the Evansville Purple Aces despite a ludicrously short turnaround is nothing less than heroic.

For the latest edition of our Know! Your! Foe! series, Hayes offers superb, specific detail on Princeton's first round CBI opponent. My questions and his answers follow after the jump, which compliment last night's quick primer nicely.

If you cover a team the Tigers will face down the line, let us know. It would be great to talk with you.

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One year ago today.

March 12, 2012 at 11:58 am
Filed under Basketball, Princeton, Video

A great afternoon with an even better capper.

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