LISTEN: How Princeton men’s basketball eked out 83-82 win over Rutgers in instant classic

Ivy Hoops Online correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark reflects on an unforgettable 83-82 win for Princeton (9-4) over Rutgers (7-5) Saturday at the Prudential Center:

Princeton men’s basketball’s clash with Rutgers was great drama on many levels

Rutgers went undefeated in the regular season in 1975-76. The following fall, I ran into then-Michigan coach Johnny Orr and asked him why his team thrashed Rutgers, a one-point favorite in the national semis. His response was to the effect that Michigan guard Rickey Green was faster than the Rutgers star who was known as fast Eddie Jordan. He was right.

Mitch Henderson entered the Rutgers game Saturday tired of having to talk Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper pregame.

“I wanted to talk (Xaivian) Lee and (Caden) Pierce,” Henderson said postgame.

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LISTEN: Princeton men’s basketball musters 71-67 win over Monmouth

Ivy Hoops Online correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark reflects on a 71-67 victory for Princeton (8-4) over Monmouth (1-10) at Jadwin Gym Tuesday night:

LISTEN: Reflections on Princeton men’s basketball’s 69-63 loss at Furman

Ivy Hoops Online correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark recaps and reflects on a 69-63 loss for Princeton men’s basketball (7-4) at Furman (9-1) Saturday:

LISTEN: Reflection on Princeton men’s basketball’s 77-69 win over Saint Joseph’s

Ivy Hoops Online contributor George “Toothless Tiger” Clark reflects on a 77-69 win for Princeton men’s basketball over Saint Joseph’s at Hagan Arena Tuesday night that yielded the first triple-double in program history, courtesy of junior guard Xaivian Lee:

LISTEN: Sizing up Princeton men’s basketball after a 6-3 start

Ivy Hoops Online contributor George “Toothless Tiger” Clark takes stock of where Princeton men’s basketball stands after a 6-3 start replete with white-knuckle finishes and newly emerging linchpins:

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Princeton men’s basketball awakens, pounds Portland at the Myrtle Beach Invitational

Princeton guard Xaivian Lee turns the corner on Portland guard Vukasin Masic in a consolation matchup at the Myrtle Beach Invitational at the HTC Center in Conway, S.C. on Nov. 24, 2024. (Steve Silverman | Ivy Hoops Online)

CONWAY, S.C. – The Princeton men’s basketball team came alive on a bright Sunday morning in South Carolina to rout the University of Portland, 94-67, for seventh place at the Myrtle Beach Invitational.

The win was a welcome relief for Princeton coach Mitch Henderson and his squad after the Tigers had dropped the two previous contests of the tournament to Wright State on Thursday night and Texas State on Friday night at the HBC Arena in Conway, S.C.

The Tigers had to set their alarm clocks for a consolation game that started at 10:30 a.m ET, but the early tip must have suited the three-time defending Ivy League champions (5-3), who exploded for 52 points in the first half and largely put the game away in the first 20 minutes.

Asked after the game what Princeton’s motivation was to win this game, Henderson dryly replied, “Seventh place is better than eighth place.  That’s what I told them.”

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Princeton men’s basketball’s Myrtle Beach Invitational woes persist in loss to Texas State

Junior forward Caden Pierce jumps ball against Texas State forward Tylan Pope in the Myrtle Beach Invitational at the HTC Center in Conway, S.C. on Nov. 22, 2024. (Steve Silverman | Ivy Hoops Online)

CONWAY, S.C. – The woes continued on Friday night for the Princeton men’s basketball team as the three-time defending Ivy League champions dropped a hard-fought contest to the Texas State Bobcats, 83-80, in a consolation bracket matchup at the Myrtle Beach Invitational tournament in South Carolina.

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Princeton men’s basketball falls in Myrtle Beach Invitational to Wright State, 80-62

Princeton forward Caden Pierce shoots over Wright State forward Michael Imariagbe in the Myrtle Beach Invitational first-round action at the HTC Center in Conway, S.C. on Nov. 21, 2024. (Steve Silverman | Ivy Hoops Online)

CONWAY, S.C. — The Princeton men’s basketball team got a dose of its own medicine in the opening round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational in South Carolina on Thursday night.

Facing the Wright State Raiders for the first time in program history, the Tigers lost by 18 points, 80-62, to a hot-shooting, energized team that moved the ball well, protected the defensive glass and converted open threes, all things the Tigers usually take pride in doing themselves.

Princeton coach Mitch Henderson didn’t mince words after the game.

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LISTEN: Princeton men’s basketball falls to Loyola Chicago, 73-68

Ivy Hoops Online contributor George “Toothless Tiger” Clark recaps the first loss of the season for Princeton (3-1), a 73-68 win for Loyola Chicago at Jadwin Gym Friday night: