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

(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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LISTEN: Reflecting on Princeton men’s basketball’s wild road so far

Princeton correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark reflects on what has been a wild road for the Tigers (15-6, 4-2 Ivy) this season as they near the midway point of Ivy League play:

LISTEN: Princeton men’s basketball shuts down Brown, 69-49

Ivy Hoops Online correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark recaps a 69-49 win for Princeton (15-6, 4-2 Ivy) over Brown (10-9, 2-4) at Jadwin Gym Saturday:

LISTEN: Cornell men’s basketball outlasts Princeton, 85-76

Ivy Hoops Online correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark recaps an 85-76 win for Cornell (11-6, 3-1 Ivy) over Princeton (14-5, 3-1) at Jadwin Gym Saturday:

LISTEN: Sizing up Princeton men’s basketball stands as Ivy League play nears

Ivy Hoops Online correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark reflects on Princeton men’s basketball’s 10-4 start to the 2024-25 season with Ivy League play slated to start on Jan. 11 at Harvard:

Just how vulnerable is Princeton men’s basketball?

Pictured Monday is Jadwin Gym, the scene of an instant classic win for Princeton over Akron.(Ray Curren/Ivy Hoops Online)

 

PRINCETON, N.J. – By now, you’ve probably seen Dalen Davis’ game-winning three-pointer to beat Akron 76-75 on Monday afternoon, completing a remarkable comeback, not for the first time this season for Princeton.


The win over the Zips (7-5) may have been the most impressive comeback, down 11 with seven minutes left, but the Tigers also overcame deficits against Iona, Northeastern, Merrimack, Monmouth and Rutgers.


Impressive fortitude, yes. But is it a sign of a veteran team that will continue to do this for the next few months, or an ominous omen that the preseason Ivy League favorites might be extremely vulnerable this season?

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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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LISTEN: Princeton men’s basketball squeaks past Northeastern, 79-76

Ivy Hoops Online contributor George “Toothless Tiger” Clark recaps a third second-half comeback win in as many games for Princeton (3-0) in a 79-76 win at Northeastern (1-1) Sunday afternoon:

Princeton men’s basketball nips Iona in season-opening comeback win

Our George “Toothless Tiger” Clark recaps an 81-80 season-opening comeback win for Princeton men’s basketball (1-0) over Iona (0-1) at Jadwin Gym Monday night:

LISTEN: Princeton men’s basketball press conference following 73-62 win over Yale

Listen to the postgame press conference held by Tigers coach Mitch Henderson, senior forward Zach Martini and a newly stitched up sophomore forward Caden Pierce following a 73-62 win for Princeton (19-3, 7-2 Ivy) over Yale (17-7, 8-1):