Princeton

Princeton hangs on to turn back Penn, 61-52

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In his pregame analysis of the Penn-Princeton game last night at Jadwin Gym, IHO editor-in-chief Mike Tony opined that the key to a Tiger victory would be “winning the three-point game” and avoiding the late-game collapses that have plagued Princeton in the early going this season.

On its way to a gut-wrenching 61-52 win over the Quakers, the Tigers shot gaping holes through Mr. Tony’s argument. The victory was achieved on a night the Tigers shot an abysmal 3-for-19 (16 percent) from beyond the arc and despite the Quakers overcoming a 21-point second-half Tiger lead to draw even at 44, the only time the score was tied in the game.

This one defies rational analysis. The Tigers were outshot (40 to 35 percent) and were outscored by 12 on three-pointers. The 235th edition in this long-running rivalry is a memorable entry, if something less than an artistic success.

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Previewing Penn-Princeton and Harvard-Dartmouth

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IHO breaks down the two games comprising Saturday evening’s Ivy conference play-opening slate:

Penn at Princeton, 7 p.m.

Last season: Princeton beat Penn twice by a combined three points, and the Ps’ last meeting at Jadwin Gym on March 12 put a scare into the Tigers, who were outscored 40-23 over the final 14:52 in a 72-71 victory over the Red and Blue. Princeton committed 16 turnovers, its highest amount in Ivy play last season, and then-freshman Penn guard Tyler Hamilton came out of nowhere to provide 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals in 37 minutes, easily the best performance of his Penn career.

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Princeton claws past Hampton, 77-49

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PRINCETON – The Tigers eagerly awaited the arrival at Jadwin Gym of the KenPom No. 328 Hampton Pirates, especially after handling Bucknell in Lewisburg last week. The Bison are ranked more than 200 spots higher than the Pirates, who were expected to walk the plank in Princeton’s arena Wednesday.

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Princeton hangs on at Bucknell, 72-70

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The Princeton Tigers, college basketball’s nomads, finally wrapped up the traveling portion of their preseason slate at the Sojka Pavilion on the campus of Bucknell last night. Needing a win against a tough opponent, the Tigers got it, grinding out another hang-on-at-the-end 72-70 decision against the perennial Patriot League contenders. It was the Bison’s first loss at home this season. Frankly, the game was not as close as the final score might suggest. This was an impressive performance by the Tigers.

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ESPN: Princeton’s Henry Caruso to become graduate transfer

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Princeton senior guard Henry Caruso will become a graduate transfer next season, Jeff Goodman of ESPN reported Wednesday.

Caruso was reported out for the year last week with a toe injury, making him the second Tiger this week to be declared out for this season.

Caruso was a first-team All-Ivy selection as a junior last season, leading the Tigers in scoring and rebounding at 15.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and shooting at a 52.7 percent clip. Caruso contributed 9.5 points and 4.3 boards per contest in eight games this season.

The San Mateo, Calif. native joins a long list of Ivy graduate transfers in recent years, including Columbia’s Grant Mullins, Dartmouth’s Alex Mitola, Brown’s Rafael Maia and Princeton’s own Denton Koon.

Fellow Tigers senior Hans Brase was declared out for the year Sunday after sustaining another season-ending knee injury.

Princeton falls at Monmouth, 96-90

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Princeton traveled to the Jersey shore Tuesday night for a battle with intra-state rival and mid-major  titan Monmouth. Picked to win the MAAC this year, the Hawks came into the game at 9-2.

Princeton got off to the hot start it desperately needed after a tough home loss last week against another flock of Hawks, St. Joseph’s. Leading by as many as 13 points in the first half, the Tigers showed how they can adjust in the face of a worsening injury situation. One must say the Tigers enjoyed their best night offensively since the preseason of 2015-16. Steven Cook (30) and Devin Cannady (26) each set career scoring marks, propelling the Tigers to a 90-point explosion, the first time the Tigers reached the 90-point mark, only to lose, in 60 years.

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Princeton bows to St. Joseph’s, 76-68

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Tigers’ hopes for a boffo season took another hit last night against the St. Joseph’s Hawks at Jadwin Gym. The visiting Big 5 quintet led for nearly the entire game, often by double digits. Princeton found its defensive energy in the second half as the Hawks were denied very many good looks. The Tigers clawed their way back, even managing a brief lead at 64-61 with under four minutes to go. St. Joe’s revved up its speed game once again, going on a 15-4 tear to close out the game, 76-68.

Clearly, the Tigers were struggling to overcome the loss of Hans Brase for the second time in two seasons due to knee problems. The news that senior forward, and last year’s first-team All-Ivy selection, Henry Caruso will not play again because of a toe injury hit this team like a sledgehammer blow. Caruso brought a toughness and grit to the floor and it showed in the stats. He was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder a year ago.

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Princeton’s Henry Caruso out for season with toe injury

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Princeton senior forward Henry Caruso was reported out for the year Wednesday with a toe injury, making him the second Tiger this week to be declared out for a season that Princeton entered as Ivy frontrunner.

Caruso was a first-team All-Ivy selection as a junior last season, leading the Tigers in scoring and rebounding at 15.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and shooting at a 52.7 percent clip. Caruso contributed 9.5 points and 4.3 boards per contest in eight games this season.

Fellow senior Hans Brase was declared out for the year Sunday after sustaining another season-ending knee injury.

The back-to-back losses of Caruso and Brase leave the Tigers reeling, wiping out 37.9 minutes per game in Princeton’s vaunted frontcourt. Caruso in particular brought a singular offensive presence to the Tigers, equally adept at driving through the lane and hitting from long range. Caruso had narrowly led all Tigers in coach Mitch Henderson’s regular rotation in usage so far this season, and he leaves a significant void at both ends of the floor.

Hans Brase out for year with injury, ending his Princeton career

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Hans Brase has suffered another knee injury that has ended his Princeton career, per the Trentonian’s reporting, a year after Brase sustained a torn ACL that ended his 2015-16 season as well.

Brase suffered his most recent season-ending injury at VCU on Nov. 29. The source of his injury was his right knee, per the Trentonian, which also noted he tore his right ACL last season.

Brase started all five contests he played in this season, averaging 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

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