The Ivy League held its annual Men's Basketball Preseason Media Teleconference this morning, with all eight coaches answering questions from media.
The portion of today's Q&A with Princeton coach Mitch Henderson is streaming after the jump. A .mp3 of the full event has been posted on the Ivy League web site.
Princeton departs for Spain tomorrow evening, where they'll be playing four games against top-tier Spanish opponents beginning Friday, while experiencing a fair bit of off-the-court culture during a 10 day oversea trip.
On the eve of their journey - the first such foray out of the country for more than one in their party - head coach Mitch Henderson opened practice to the media and answered 10 minutes of my questions afterwards.
I also had a chance to speak with returning Tigers Brendan Connolly, Clay Wilson and Ian Hummer, who each have varying degrees of experience with international travel not to mention comfort levels with speaking Spanish.
Robert Solomon joined me on this visit at Jadwin. His photos, plus a number of observations and the aforementioned interview audio, can all be found after the jump.
Last year we looked back on the season by examining a series of small moments. For 2011-12, how about something new?
THE FIRST-ANNUAL SITE AWARDS!
[fanfare of trumpets]
Nominees and recipients in a variety of categories both expected and unexpected after the jump. I hope you'll create your own awards and hand out (virtual) trophies to winners in the comments.
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.
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.
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.
Things are exceptionally hectic at Jadwin Gym as Princeton scrambles to get to Evansville, IN later today in advance of Tuesday evening's CBI matchup with the host Purple Aces.
Head coach Mitch Henderson took a brief respite from frantic preparation to talk with local media this morning and audio from that availability is posted above.
Postgame audio - Coach John Thompson III, Henry Sims & Jason Clark:
As they had done one day previous against Pitt, Georgetown (23-8) was able to slowly pull away from Cincinnati (23-9) in the second half of this afternoon's Big East Tournament quarterfinal, leading 48-37 following a pair of Jason Clark free throws with 9:11 left.
However, unlike their last time out, the Hoyas were unable to counteract a final run for their opposition. Disrupting the day’s ebb and flow, a nine point lead went down to four rapidly and emphatically on a fantastic play where Yancy Gates stole the ball, passed backwards to Cashmere Wright on a break and still heading forward Wright lofted a diagonal pass for the alley oop dunk.
The Bearcats moved ahead late in regulation on a Gates tip follow for the first time since the 8:54 point of the first frame.
I’m not sure the Georgetown coaches and players would agree, but from a sheer entertainment standpoint this is where the tense, dramatic fun ramped up exponentially.
Postgame audio - Coach John Thompson III, Otto Porter & Henry Sims:
Postgame audio - Coach John Thompson III one on one interview:
For whatever reason, a quote from Joe Scott relayed in the upper balcony of Jadwin Gym ages ago has stayed with me all these years.
Players get better from their freshman year to their sophomore year.
They can improve from their sophomore season to when they are juniors.
Once they hit their fourth and final campaign however, they aren’t going to be more than what they already are.
The exception to Scott’s rule may be a late leap by Georgetown center Henry Sims.
Averaging 3.2 points per game three years in, Sims more than tripled his output in 2011-12, putting up 11.1 points along with 5.6 rebounds as an All-Big East third team member.
Sims was downright dominant at times in a Wednesday afternoon Big East Tournament second round matchup versus Pitt with both his scoring and his distributing as the Hoyas were able to build, cultivate and expand a lead that they took for the first time late in the first half on a three point play by freshman Greg Whittington. This was only part of a 16-2 run that closed a frame which ended with Georgetown up by eight as Sims bodied inside for the closing bucket.
Postgame audio - Coach Mitch Henderson, John Comfort, Douglas Davis & Patrick Saunders:
As someone who has slugged through Princeton vs. Penn repeatedly as both a player and as a coach, Jerome Allen’s statement after his team had been withheld a share of the 2011-12 Ivy League title by losing to the Tigers at Jadwin Gym was a surprise.
“How can a team that’s playing for nothing play harder than the team that is supposedly playing for something?” he asked himself.
It was not the circumstance that Princeton wanted to find itself in at the regular season’s close, but when the Quakers come to town there’s always substance on the line.
Tigers senior guard Douglas Davis didn’t see Tuesday’s competition as Allen did, nearly channeling Pete Carril in the process. “Not at all,” he said when questioned if Princeton had nothing to play for. “Every time you step on the floor you’re trying to win. We don’t know what our future holds so we’re just going to play.”
Play they did. Play to win. Especially on defense.
Postgame audio - Coach Mitch Henderson, Douglas Davis & Brendan Connolly:
There was more drama as to if Saturday night’s game would actually take place than in regards to what the result would be.
Delayed 34 minutes by a malfunctioning backboard stanchion and non-synching shot clocks, Princeton took the lead for good with under eight minutes to go in the first half on a Patrick Saunders three pointer and methodically pulled away to go up 10 on Douglas Davis’ righty drive prior to the horn.
When play resumed the Tigers ran off nine straight and cruised to the finish, shooting 64.5% from the floor in the second half. The Bears did not score over the final 5:23.
With no answer by shorthanded Brown for 6’11″ Brendan Connolly inside, the junior center was in control throughout scoring 14 points and handing out six assists along with seven rebounds in 22 minutes of play. Davis added 12 in his penultimate Ivy game and fellow co-captain Patrick Saunders did the same.
“Because he’s running and establishing early position in the post, I think the guys are really looking for him,” head coach Mitch Henderson said of Connolly’s play. “It is such an advantage for us when we can throw the ball in to a center.”
Saunders is shooting 9-12 from three point range the past four contests.
Postgame audio - Coach Mitch Henderson, Mack Darrow, Ian Hummer & Jimmy Sherburne:
The pressure was on.
For the first time since 4-4, Princeton looked up at a tie score with 11:34 left in the second half. Yale had pulled even from down by as many as 15 on a Greg Mangano drive at and over Mack Darrow.
Reeling, it was Darrow who would smash the cover that seemingly was placed over the rim the prior six+ minutes by connecting from the top of the arc and the Tigers converted on four consecutive subsequent possessions to reinstate a 49-40 advantage.
“Our defense was good enough but, man, we were very fortunate to play like that and be in a situation where if you make a few plays you reestablish control of the game, said Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson. “We were sweating it. Yale can do that to you.”
The homestanding Tigers fought off every last push from the Bulldogs, including Patrick Saunders somehow blowing up a four-on-one break with Yale down two in the final four minutes.
“Pat does that,” Henderson said with pride of the senior co-captain who is closing his final season with some of his strongest minutes. “He’s got a good sense for things. That was a great play – just a basketball play.”
