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:
Rutgers
After loss at Rutgers, it may be now or never for Columbia men’s basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – You won’t ever get a coach to say a season is now or never, but for Jim Engles and Columbia this season, it might be that time.
It’s Engles’ ninth year in charge of the program, and Columbia hasn’t had more than five Ivy League wins in any of the first seven seasons. On a macro level, that’s not an aberration. The Lions haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 1968 and before Kyle Smith’s two winning seasons, Columbia hadn’t had a winning record in Ivy play since legendary coach Jack Rohan (who was also in charge in 1968) did it in 1991-92.
Columbia men’s basketball loses a game within a game at Rutgers
There was more to Columbia men’s basketball’s game at Rutgers than the 91-64 final score in the home team’s favor.
More to the game than the first triple-double at Rutgers since 1983. Projected no. 1 or 2 NBA draft pick Dylan Harper had 16 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds.
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.
“Should be fun to watch”: Princeton men’s basketball set to face Rutgers
Princeton and Rutgers are separated by 17 miles on Route 1 in New Jersey. Rutgers is one of Princeton’s most familiar foes. The Tigers lead the overall series, 77-45, but Rutgers has won six out of the last 10 meetings.
The game has held major significance for Princeton and Rutgers players across the decades, a history sure to grow when the teams play Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark at noon.
“It was for the establishment of New Jersey dominance,” former Princeton star and athletic director Gary Walters said.
Tiger Takeaways from Princeton women’s basketball’s 5-4 start amid big changes
It’s been an up-and-down season so far for Princeton women’s basketball. With nine games in the books, the six-time-defending Ivy League champions have a mixed record of 5-4.
Highlights of the season include a three-game sweep of Big East opponents DePaul, Villanova, and Seton Hall, a dominant win over in-state rival Rutgers, and a resume-building win over Big 5 foe Temple.
The lowlights include blowout losses at Quinnipiac and Portland, a disappointing finish at Duquesne, and a heartbreaking injury to the Tigers’ superstar team captain, Madison St. Rose.
Carla Berube’s club was picked to finish first again in the Ivy League’s preseason media poll, but the loss of senior leadership, a monumental injury and a brutal, road-heavy slate of opening games has created challenges, opportunities and an intriguing future.
Here are three Tiger Takeaways assessing where the Princeton women’s basketball team stands one-third of the way into the season:
Princeton women’s basketball routs Rutgers, 66-49
Princeton women’s basketball beat up Rutgers Sunday at Jersey Mike’s Arena, 66-49, before a crowd of 2,281.
The Tigers were tasked with having to take Rutgers senior guard Destiny Adams out of the game. Adams was averaging 21.7 points and 12 rebounds per game, the latter clip good for third in the country.
Princeton coach Carla Berube called Adams “a monster inside” to the Big Ten Plus announcers before the game.
The Tigers tamed the monster.
Q&A with Princeton men’s basketball sophomore guard Xaivian Lee
Xaivian Lee is a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard at Princeton from Toronto who did his prep years at the Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, Pa. Lee recently sat down with Ivy Hoops Online for an interview at Jadwin Gym:
Princeton women’s basketball storms past Rutgers, 66-55
Princeton women’s basketball dominated its in-state rivals Wednesday night, casting aside the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 66-55, at Jadwin Gymnasium.