Five thoughts on Princeton men’s exit from the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

Princeton senior point forward Tosan Evbuomwan may have lost in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Friday night, but he still walked off the court at the KFC Yum! Center a champion. (Steve Silverman)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – There is much to digest as Princeton Nation reacts to a tough 86-75 loss by the men’s basketball team to Creighton in the Sweet 16 on Friday night. Here are five reactions from a courtside perspective at the KFC Yum! Center:

Read more

News and notes from the NCAA South Regional in Louisville

The NCAA welcomes Princeton to the South Regional in Louisville. (Steve Silverman)

LOUISVILLE, KY. – Greetings from the South Regional of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.  We’re several hours away from tip-off of the Sweet 16 matchup between the No. 15 Princeton Tigers and the No. 6 Creighton Blue Jays, the first time an Ivy program has played a game this deep in the tournament since 2010.

Here are a few tidbits from my first 12 hours in Louisville, the birthplace and home of Muhammad Ali, Churchill Downs, and the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory:

Read more

How Princeton men’s basketball made its stunning run to the Sweet 16

Princeton Athletics’ pinned tweet on Twitter borrows the Sacramento Kings’ rallying call referring to a purple beam of light that comes from the Golden 1 Center after a team win. Princeton men’s basketball’s two wins at the Golden 1 Center lifted the program to its first Sweet 16 appearance of the modern NCAA Tournament era. (Princeton Athletics)

As the Princeton men’s basketball team was coasting past the Missouri Tigers on Saturday en route to the program’s first trip to the Sweet 16 in the modern NCAA Tournament era, my phone began to buzz with text messages from friends and family members, many of whom were asking the same question:  How is Princeton doing this?  

Read more

Season ends for No. 10 Princeton women at Utah in NCAA Tournament second round

 The No. 10 Princeton women’s basketball team ran out of steam against No. 2 Utah, which beat the Tigers Sunday night, 63-56, in a second-round NCAA Tournament matchup at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

The loss brought an end to another outstanding and history-making season for the Princeton women, who finished the season 24-6.  By winning their first-round contest against No. 7 North Carolina State on Friday, the Tigers became the first program in Ivy League history to win games in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.

Read more

No. 10 Princeton women come back to top No. 7 NC State in NCAA Tournament opener

 

The No. 10 Princeton women’s basketball team made history for the university and the Ivy League  Friday night, storming back from the brink of elimination to sink No. 7 North Carolina State, 64-63, in a first-round NCAA Tournament matchup at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.  

With the stunning come-from-behind win, Princeton became the first Ivy League women’s program to win a game in back-to-back NCAA tournaments.  Princeton also became the first Ivy school in history to win games in both the men’s and women’s brackets in the same year.  

Senior guard Grace Stone nailed a clutch corner three with 4.7 seconds left to complete a 9-0 run to close out the game, but not before Madison St. Rose, the Ivy League Rookie of the Year, forced a fumble on NC State’s final possession to seal the win.

The Tigers found a way to triumph despite trailing most of the game against a larger and very talented Wolfpack quintet.  Kaitlyn Chen, the Ivy Player of the Year, and Stone each led the Tigers with 22 points.  First-team All Ivy senior guard Julia Cunningham added 14 for the Tigers, who have now won 16 games in a row.  

Read more

No. 15 Princeton claws past No. 2 Arizona in NCAA Tournament win for the ages

A paltry 4-for-25 from three-point range.

Just three points from the foul line.

A major size disadvantage against the No. 10 KenPom team in the country 2,800 miles from home.

None of it stopped No. 15 Princeton from stunning No. 2 Arizona at the Golden1 Center in Sacramento, Calif. Thursday to advance to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in a winning effort for the ages.

Read more

A paean to Princeton’s triumphant Ivy League Tournament and season

Pictured here during the Ivy League Tournament Saturday, the Princeton women have made a habit of lining up single file behind each other with their arms draped over each other’s shoulders during the national anthem. (Steve Silverman)

The Princeton men’s and women’s basketball teams did more than punch tickets for the NCAA Tournament by winning championships at the Ivy League Tournament over the weekend.  They also made history for the university and the Ivy League.  

By winning both the men’s and women’s regular season and tournament titles, Princeton became the first school in Ivy League history to win four conference basketball championships in the same season. It’s a record that may be tied someday, but it can never be broken. 

As the Princeton basketball community basks in the glory of this unparalleled success, here are three reflections from the perspective of a long-time follower and admirer of Princeton basketball:

Read more

And the Ivy Madness Oscar goes to …

The Princeton Tiger flexes at Jadwin Gym Saturday. (Photo by Steve Silverman)

Since the 95th Academy Award airs Sunday night, here are my choices for the Ivy Madness Oscars from day two of the Ivy League Tournament:

Read more

Harvard women stun Columbia to advance to Ivy League Tournament final

Sophomore guard Harmoni Turner contributed 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in 44 minutes in Harvard’s Ivy League Tournament semifinal upset of Columbia at Jadwin Gym Friday. (Photo by Erica Denhoff)

PRINCETON, N.J. – The Harvard Crimson put an abrupt end to anticipation of a rubber match between regular-season co-champions Princeton and Columbia by defeating the latter in the second of two Ivy League Tournament semifinal games played at Jadwin Gym in an overtime thriller, 72-65.

The No. 3 Crimson advance to face No. 1 Princeton, which defeated Penn earlier Friday, 60-47.  The tournament final will be played Saturday  at 5 p.m. at Jadwin Gym.  

Read more

A banner(s) weekend for Princeton basketball

Thanks to a weekend sweep of Penn, the Princeton men’s and women’s basketball programs both won Ivy League titles this weekend, meaning that two more banners will soon be added to the crowded rafters at Jadwin Gym.  Here are four takeaways from Princeton’s historic basketball weekend:

Read more