Keeshawn Kellman

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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Tiger Takeaways from Princeton men’s basketball’s Ivy Madness semifinal loss to Brown

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Princeton coach Mitch Henderson paces the sideline in the final minute of his team’s 90-81 upset loss to Brown in their Ivy League Tournament semifinal matchup Saturday. (Photo by Steve Silverman)

A valiant comeback by the Princeton men’s basketball team came up short at Levien Gym on Saturday afternoon as the No. 1 Tigers fell to the No. 4 Brown Bears, 90-81, in their Ivy League Tournament semifinal matchup Saturday. Here are three takeaways from the shocking end to Princeton’s magical Ivy League season:

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LISTEN: Tiger Takeaways on Princeton men’s basketball’s 77-70 win over Penn

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Ivy Hoops Online contributor George “Toothless Tiger” Clark shares his takeaways from Saturday’s 77-70 win for Princeton men’s basketball (17-3, 5-2 Ivy) over Penn (9-3, 1-6), including why the Tigers are sophomore guard Xaivian Lee’s team now:

2023-24 Ivy men’s media day recap and season preview

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With the season a few weeks away, the Ivy League hosted its Men’s Basketball Media Day on Thursday. the second of two hoops-themed media availabilities. The event was hosted over Zoom for media members and is available on the conference’s YouTube channel.

The preseason media poll was released on Tuesday with Yale, last year’s regular season co-champions, securing the top spot. Princeton, which used its Ivy League Tournament title victory as a springboard to a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament run, was picked second.

The Bulldogs received 14 of 16 first-place votes, while the Tigers earned the other two top votes.

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Ivy hoops roundup – July 1, 2023

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As we enter the July 4th holiday weekend, we at Ivy Hoops Online wanted to round up some postseason updates:

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Tosan Evbuomwan declares for NBA Draft: The way forward for the point forward

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Tosan Evbuomwan was named to the NCAA South Region All-Tournament Team and was the Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player. (Erica Denhoff)

Newcastle, United Kingdom / D.O.B: 02.16.2001 / 6-foot-8, 219 pounds

2022-23 stat line: 15.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.9 apg / 51.5% FG, 32.4% 3P, 65.5% FT,  1.68 A-TO ratio / 31.4 min in 32 GP

Bankable skills: versatile tweener, playmaking

Defensive matchup versatility: 2 to 4 spots

Swing factor: 3pt-ball + jump shot

They say March is Madness, and we couldn’t agree more watching Princeton going to the Sweet 16 in its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017. Great news for the Ivy League champions and for Tosan Evbuomwan, the senior from Newcastle, England, who just declared for the NBA Draft after powering the Tigers’ Sweet 16 and Ivy Madness runs.

Evbuomwan has deservedly gained the national attention amid that run, but his performances in the spotlight shouldn’t have been a surprise given that the wing/forward has been a genuine offensive motor for the last couple of seasons and earned almost every award available in the Ivy League in the process.

What’s to like about Evbuomwan? Everything, starting with his physical profile.

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Road to redemption: A look ahead to 2023-24 for Penn men’s basketball

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Penn gets to benefit from Jordan Dingle’s dynamic scoring prowess again next season. (Photo by Erica Denhoff)

March is defined by thin margins.

Penn’s season collapsed with the blow of a referee’s whistle with 90 seconds to go in its Ivy League tournament semifinal against Princeton. If Nick Spinoso’s charge on the Tigers’ Keeshawn Kellman in a one-point game had been ruled a no-call or a flop, would Penn have advanced?

Yale can ask itself a similar question. If August Mahoney — the third-best free throw shooter in the country — converted his one-and-one with 2:18 to go in a three-point game in the Ivy League Tournament final against Princeton, would the Bulldogs have completed their furious second-half rally?

Both those teams could only watch as Princeton went on to go on a magical run to the Sweet 16, the deepest an Ivy League champion has gone in the NCAA Tournament since 2010.

Plenty of Penn fans are probably still bitter, and could you blame them?

But a look at the Quakers’ returning roster indicates that fans’ high expectations for redemption in 2023-24 will be well-justified:

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

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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:

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

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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.

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And the Ivy Madness Oscar goes to …

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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:

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