Caden Pierce

Former Princeton associate head coach Brett MacConnell hired as Dartmouth men’s basketball new head coach

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Dartmouth men’s basketball looks to new head coach Brett MacConnell to get the Big Green back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1959. (Dartmouth Athletics)

The Big Green made a big splash on Monday afternoon, hiring former Princeton men’s basketball associate head coach Brett MacConnell as Dartmouth’s new head coach.

“Brett’s deep knowledge of the Ivy League and his ability to identify and develop student-athletes set him apart during our national search,” Dartmouth Athletic Director Mike Harrity said in the school’s press release.  “The way he connects with people, from the recruits to the team and beyond, is exceptional, and his drive, vision, and plan for our program is exactly what Dartmouth Men’s Basketball needs.

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Princeton men’s basketball outmatched at home by Merrimack

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Ivy Hoops Online correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark reports on a 59-56 loss for Princeton men’s basketball (3-10) to Merrimack (6-6) at Jadwin Gym Wednesday:

Kent: Does Ivy League hear alarm bells with another departure?

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With the news that Alexander Lesburt Jr. is pulling a Caden Pierce at Brown men’s basketball, sitting out his senior season and entering the portal, the alarm bells are getting louder and louder.

First, as to Lesburt. He was expected to be a key player for Mike Martin after averaging 10.3 points and 3.6 rebounds per game last season and is a skilled three-point shooter. But he is no longer on the team, Brown announced Tuesday, noting he left the program to preserve his final year of eligibility.

Numerous Ivy players in basketball and other sports are exploring this three-year graduation route to obtain a coveted Ivy League degree and get another payday year elsewhere.

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Orange & Black Report: Previewing the Princeton men’s and women’s basketball teams

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In less than a week, the Princeton men’s and women’s basketball teams will tip off their new seasons, and for the first time since 2016, neither program will enter the campaign as the defending Ivy League champion. 

What are the prospects for the Orange and Black returning to the top of the Ivy League standings in 2025-26? Let’s investigate the probabilities for both programs, starting with the women:

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2025-26 IHO Men’s Preseason Poll

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The 2025-26 Ivy men’s basketball season tips off Friday, so it’s time for Ivy Hoops Online’s preseason poll – not to be confused with the Ivy League-released media preseason poll. Here’s how our contributors collectively predict the league will shake out, with select observations from some of them:

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Caden Pierce to sit out his senior year at Princeton, the latest jolt to Tigers men’s basketball

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(Steve Silverman | Ivy Hoops Online)

Caden Pierce announced on Tuesday that he will step away from basketball during his senior year at Princeton. The two-time All-Ivy League forward told ESPN that he plans to graduate next May from Princeton and enter the transfer portal to play his final year of NCAA eligibility as a graduate student. 

Pierce’s withdrawal from the Princeton men’s basketball team is the latest and perhaps heaviest blow to hit Mitch Henderson’s squad since the 2024-25 season ended with a heartbreaking loss to Yale in the semifinals of the 2025 Ivy League Tournament.

The offseason started ominously for Princeton with the news breaking in late March that two key assistant coaches, Brett MacConnell and Lawrence Rowley, would not return to Mitch Henderson’s coaching staff for the 2025-26 season. 

There was no obvious explanation for the coaching staff shakeup, other than Princeton’s leadership perhaps deciding that something needed to change after the Tigers underperformed expectations during the 2024-25 season.

A wave of player defections then descended on Old Nassau.

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Xaivian Lee’s portaling leaves Princeton men’s basketball at a crossroads

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Princeton junior guard Xaivian Lee (1) drives to the hoop against Yale sophomore center Samson Aleton (10) at the Ivy League Tournament in Providence, R.I. on March 15, 2025. (Steve Silverman | Ivy Hoops Online)

The Xaivian Lee era at Princeton appears to be over.

According to a report posted today by ESPN, the First-Team All-Ivy junior guard has entered the transfer portal. The report states that Lee will also enter the NBA Draft while simultaneously keeping his options open to transfer to another program for his final year of collegiate eligibility.

A year ago, Lee similarly tested the NBA Draft waters before returning to Princeton for his junior year.

Lee’s likely departure from Princeton, while not entirely unexpected, is the latest development in what already is shaping up to be a  tumultuous offseason for the Princeton men’s basketball program.

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