Mitch Henderson

Princeton men’s basketball survives Harvard, 68-64

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Princeton and Harvard tip off at Lavietes Pavilion on Jan. 11, 2025 in what became a 68-64 win for the Tigers over the Crimson. (Ray Curren | Ivy Hoops Online)

BOSTON – There were plenty of mistakes, their shooting was inconsistent, and closing the game out was a mess. But in the end, it was a 68-64 road victory for Princeton over Harvard to open Ivy League play Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers will gladly take it and be on their way.

“The league is so even this year. Even this game, next weekend at Dartmouth, it’s going to be hard. On the margins, that’s where we’ve been really trying to get better,” Princeton coach Mitch Henderson said. “I think it’s kind of going to be whomever is needed on a night that’s going to get us through.”

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

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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?

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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: Princeton men’s basketball’s postgame presser after 76-75 win over Akron

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Ivy Hoops Online correspondent George “Toothless Tiger” Clark brings us Princeton men’s basketball’s postgame press conference after a dramatic 76-75 comeback win for Princeton (10-4) over Akron (7-5) Monday afternoon at Jadwin Gym, featuring coach Mitch Henderson and sophomore guards Dalen Davis and Jackson Hicke:

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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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