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Princeton Tigers men's basketball

Collegiate basketball program


Collegiate basketball program

FieldValue
current2025–26 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team
namePrinceton Tigers men's basketball
logoPrinceton Tigers logo.svg
logo_size100
universityPrinceton University
conferenceIvy League
firstseason
record1,671–1,044 ()
locationPrinceton, New Jersey
coachMitch Henderson
tenure14th
arenaJadwin Gymnasium
capacity6,854
nicknameTigers
h_bodyEE7F2D
h_pattern_b_thinsidesonwhite
h_shortsEE7F2D
h_pattern_s_blanksides2
a_body000000
a_pattern_b_thinorangesides_2
a_shorts000000
a_pattern_s_orangesides
NCAAchampion21925
bestfinish4
NCAAfinalfour1965
NCAAeliteeight1965
NCAAsweetsixteen1952, 1955, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1967, 2023
NCAAroundof321976, 1977, 1983, 1996, 1998, 2023
NCAAtourneys1952, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2011, 2017, 2023
conference_tournament2017, 2023
conference_seasonEIBL: 1922, 1925, 1932, 1950, 1952, 1955Ivy League: 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2011, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024
collapseconfregseayes

The Princeton Tigers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Princeton University. The school competes in the Ivy League in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Tigers play home basketball games at the Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton, New Jersey, on the university campus. Princeton has appeared in 25 NCAA tournaments, most recently in 2023. In 1965, the Tigers made the NCAA Final Four, with Bill Bradley being named the Most Outstanding Player. The team is currently coached by former player Mitch Henderson.

The team is known for the Princeton offense strategy, perfected under the tenure of former head coach Pete Carril, who coached the team from 1967 to 1996. The Princeton offense has resulted in Princeton leading the nation in scoring defense 20 times since 1976, including every year from 1989 to 2000. As of 2023, the Tigers have amassed 1803 victories, 25 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament appearances (including four consecutive appearances between 1989 and 1992), and 30 Ivy League regular season titles. Their main Ivy League rivalry is with Penn.

Eight different Tigers have earned 12 All-American recognitions. Bill Bradley is the only three-time honoree. Numerous Tigers have played professional basketball. The most recent Tiger NBAer is Tosan Evbuomwan. Geoff Petrie was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1971, while Brian Taylor earned the same honor in the American Basketball Association in 1973. Two of the three Ivy Leaguers to have played in the Olympic Games were Tigers. Four of the eight NBA and ABA championships earned by Ivy League players have been earned by Tigers. Three of the five highest NBA career point totals by Ivy League players were by Tigers. Five of the ten Ivy League players selected among the top 25 overall selections in the NBA draft were Tigers.

Coaches

Carril holds the Ivy League record for most career seasons, championships, and wins. Bill Carmody holds the career winning percentage record.

;Coaching Records

NameYearsWinsLossesWinning %
Mowbray Forney1900–01750.583
Augustus W. Enderbrock1901–0210100.500
William Roper1902–03870.533
William McCoy1903–041050.667
Frederick Cooper1904–0613150.464
William Kelleher1906–074100.286
C.F. Kogel1907–087100.412
Harry F. Shorter1908–1119280.404
Harry Hough1911–12880.500
Frederick Leuhring1912–20100430.699
Lou Sugarman1920–211140.733
James Hynson1921350.375
Hill Zahn1921–233690.800
Albert Wittmer1923–32115860.572
Herbert (Fritz) Crisler1932–3432110.744
John Jefferies1934–356140.300
Ken Fairman1935–3825380.397
Franklin (Cappy) Cappon1938–43 *52370.584
William Logan1943–4520200.500
Leonard Hattinger1945580.385
Wes Fesler1945–467120.368
Franklin (Cappy) Cappon1946–61 *1981440.579
Jake McCandless1961–6222160.579
Butch van Breda Kolff1962–67103310.769
Pete Carril1967–19965142610.663
Bill Carmody1996–200092250.787
John Thompson2000–200468420.618
Joe Scott2004–200738450.458
Sydney Johnson2007–201166530.555
Mitch Henderson2011–present147840.636

Arenas

Princeton originally played its home games at University Gymnasium until it burned down in 1944. Hobey Baker Memorial Rink served as the interim home court for the 1945–46 and 1946–47 seasons until Dillon Gymnasium was built. The 6,800-seat Jadwin Gymnasium hosted the Tigers for the first time on January 25, 1969, against the Penn Quakers men's basketball team. It continues to be the team's home court.

Jadwin Gymnasium (1969–present)

Ivy League

The Tigers have played against their Ivy League rivals for over a century.

OpponentFirst GameLast GameWLPCT.HomeAwayNeutral
190820181062862–644–22
190120181538683–3468–512–1
190220181478187–2759–521–2
190520181526389–1762-421–4
190120181324877-1454–341–0
1903201811312662–5248-703–4
190220181508988–2859–603–1

Through 2017–2018 season

Awards and honors

Bill Bradley playing in 1964

Bill Bradley has won numerous distinctions as a Princeton Tiger. He is the team's only Rhodes Scholar, and he is the only player to earn NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player. Other honors earned by Tiger basketball players include:

;All-Americas

YearName
1905Oliver deGray Vanderbilt
1913Hamilton Salmon
1916Cyril Haas
1917Cyril Haas
1922Arthur Loeb
1923Arthur Loeb
1926Carl Loeb
1963Bill Bradley
1964Bill Bradley
1965Bill Bradley
1972Brian Taylor
1998Steve Goodrich
2013Ian Hummer

;Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year

[[Spencer Weisz
YearName
1976Armond Hill
1977Frank Sowinski
1982Craig Robinson
1983Craig Robinson
1989Bob Scrabis
1990Kit Mueller
1991Kit Mueller
1992Sean Jackson
1997Sydney Johnson
1998Steve Goodrich
1999Brian Earl
2013Ian Hummer
2017Spencer Weisz
2024Caden Pierce

;Ivy League Rookie of the Year

YearName
1971Brian Taylor
1977Bob Roma
1992Rick Hielscher
1999Chris Young
2001Konrad Wysocki
2014Spencer Weisz
2023Caden Pierce

;Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year

YearName
2011Kareem Maddox
2017Myles Stephens

;Ivy League Coach of the Year

2017Mitch Henderson

;Academic All-Americas

YearNameDesignation
1965Bill BradleyFirst Team
1982Gordon EnderleHonorable Mention
1988Bill BradleyHall of Fame
1990Kit MuellerThird Team
1991Kit MuellerFirst Team
1998Steve GoodrichSecond Team

;Olympians

2024Kareem MaddoxUnited States

Maddox appeared in the 3x3 basketball competition.

;College Basketball Hall of Fame

1997Pete CarrilCoach

;Basketball Hall of Fame

1997Pete CarrilCoach

Professional basketball

Princeton NBA players were Bud Palmer, Willem van Breda Kolff, Bradley, Geoff Petrie, John Hummer, Taylor, Ted Manakas, Armond Hill, Mike Kearns and Steve Goodrich.

Tosan Evbuomwan is the only active Princeton NBA player.

David Blatt, now an Israeli-American, played for Princeton in 1977–81 and then became a professional basketball player and subsequently a coach (most recently, for the Cleveland Cavaliers).

;NBA/ABA Championships

;NBA Experience

SchoolNBA AlumniNBA GamesLast Played102,6682001–02
122,1762002–03
71,7481994–95
51,0681978–79
39762002–03
31762011–12
()
31182011–12
()
3631953–54

;NBA draft

NameYearTeamSelection
Bernie Adams1950Philadelphia
Carl Belz1959Philadelphia9th, 62
Reggie Bird1972Atlanta4th rd, 55
Bill Bradley1965N.Y. Knicksbefore 1st rd, territory
Jim Brangan1960Philadelphia6th, 47
Pete Campbell1962Chicago10th rd, 79
John Haarlow1968N.Y. Knicks13th rd, 177
Barnes Hauptfuhrer1976Houston3rd rd, 43
Joe Heiser1968Baltimore6th rd, 68
Armond Hill1976Atlanta1st rd, 9
Ed Hummer1967Boston6th rd, 64
John Hummer1970Buffalo1st rd, 15
Mike Kearns1951Philadelphia
Ted Manakas1973Atlanta3rd rd, 36
Kevin Mullin1984Boston4th rd, 93
Geoff Petrie1970Portland1st rd, 8th
Andy Rimol1974Buffalo10th rd, 170
Craig Robinson1983Philadelphia4th rd, 93
Bob Roma1979Kansas City6th rd, 126
Bill Ryan1984N.J. Nets9th rd, 200
Rich Simkus1983N.J. Nets10th rd, 222
Frank Sowinski1978N.J. Nets9th rd, 171
Brian Taylor1972Seattle2nd rd, 23
Chris Thomforde1969N.Y. Knicks7th rd, 96
Tim van Blommesteyn1975N.Y. Knicks9th rd, 153

Records

Bradley continues to hold the single-game, single-season, and career total and average points Ivy League records. In addition, he holds the Ivy records for single-game, single-season, and career field goals made as well as single-season, and career free throws made. Other Tiger Ivy League record holders include Howard Levy (1982–85, career field goal percentage), Alan Williams (1986–87, single-season field goal percentage), Brian Earl (1995–99, career three-point field goals made), Spencer Gloger (vs- Ala.-Birmingham, December 18, 1999, single-game three-point field goals made), Sydney Johnson (-vs- Columbia & Cornell, Feb 28 – March 1, 1997, consecutive three-point field goals made; single-game three-point field goals made with no misses), Dave Orlandini (1986–88, career three-point field goal percentage; 1987–88 single-season three-point field goal percentage).

;National records:

  • Combined single-game Three-point field goal field goal percentage (minimum 20 made): 72.4%—Princeton (12 of 15) vs. Brown (9 of 14), February 20, 1998
  • Combined single-game points (Since 1986, which is either the three-point shot or shot clock era): 62—Monmouth (41) vs. Princeton (21), December 14, 2005
  • Single-season three-point field goal percentage (Min. 200 made): 49.2%—Princeton, 1988 (211 of 429)
  • Longest annual rivalry Princeton–Yale: Since 1902 (tied with Columbia–Yale, Princeton–Penn is second since 1903)

;NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament records

  • Free throws made in 100% effort: Bradley (16 vs. St. Joseph's, 1st R, November 3, 1963)
  • Single-game points scored in a final four: Bradley 58 Princeton vs. Wichita St., N3d, 3-20- 1965
  • Single-game field goals made (final four): Bradley 22 Princeton vs. Wichita St., N3d, 3-20- 1965
  • Victory margin (final four): 36 Princeton (118) vs. Wichita St. (82), N3d, March 20, 1965
  • Points in a half, team (final four): 65, Princeton vs. Wichita St., N3d, March 20, 1965 (2d half, 2nd team to do so)
  • Single-year two-game points scored (final four): 87, Bill Bradley, Princeton, 1965
  • Single-year two-game field goals made (final four): 34, Bill Bradley, Princeton, 1965

;Selected former records NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament records

  • Single-game free throw percentage (final four, minimum 10 made): 93.3% (14–15), Bradley, Princeton vs. Wichita St., N3d, March 25, 1965 (broken March 23, 1972)
  • Points in a half, both teams (final four): 108, Princeton (65) vs. Wichita St. (43), N3d, March 20, 1965 (2d) (broken March 25, 1972)
  • Single-year two-game free throw percentage (final four, minimum 12 made): 95.0% (19–20), Bill Bradley, Princeton, 1965 (broken 1972)
  • Single-year two-game field goals made (final four): 78, Princeton, 1965 (broken 1977)

;Former national records:

  • Fewest points allowed (Since 1986): 28–66 Dartmouth, February 10, 1990 (broken on January 11, 1991)
  • Fewest points allowed (Since 1986): 27–55 Yale, January 11, 1991 (broken on March 2, 1992)
  • Fewest combined points (Since 1986): 76 (43–33) vs. Colgate, November 30, 1988 (broken on December 16, 1989)
  • Single-season team defense (Since 1965): 52.9, 1976 (broken 1977)
  • Single-season team defense (Since 1965): 51.7, 1977 (broken 1980)
  • Single-season team assists-turnover ratio (Since 1993): 1.63 (486:302), 1998 (broken 2005)
  • Consecutive home victories: Princeton over Brown 52, 1929–2002 (broken by North Carolina over Clemson 54 and active through 2009)

;National statistical champions:

  • Field goal percentage: 70.3% Alan Williams 163 of 232, 1987
  • Three-point field goal percentage: 53.4% Matt Lapin 71 of 133, 1990
  • Free throw percentage: 88.6% Bill Bradley, 273 of 308, 1965
  • Free throw percentage: 90.0% Joe Heiser, 117 of 130, 1968
  • Won-loss percentage: 93.1% team, 27 of 29, 1998
  • Scoring defense: 52.9, 1976; 51.7, 1977; 55.8, 1979; 52.0, 1983; 50.1, 1984; 55.0, 1986; 53.0, 1989; 51.0, 1990; 48.9, 1991; 48.2, 1992; 54.7, 1993; 52.3, 1994; 57.7, 1995; 51.7, 1996; 53.4, 1997; 51.4, 1998; 52.7, 1999; 54.6, 2000; 53.3, 2007; 53.3, 2010.
  • Field goal percentage: 54.1% team, 601 of 1111, 1987
  • Three-point field goals/game: 8.12 team, 1988
  • Three-point field percentage: 49.2 team, 1988, 45.2 team, 1990
  • Assists-turnover ratio: 1.63 team (486:302), 1998
  • Fewest turnover/game: 10.14 team (294/29), 1998
  • The 1925 team was retroactively named as a national champion by the Helms Athletic Foundation and was ranked as the nation's top college team by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll; neither designations are recognized by the NCAA as official national championships, despite the NCAA referencing Helms's historical findings.

;Selected notable statistics:

  • Bradley was the second to post a 2000-point/1000-rebound three-year career (Oscar Robertson).
  • Weisz became the only player in Princeton career history to amass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 300 assists, and 200 3-pointers.
  • The 27-point comeback from 13–40 with 15:11 remaining to win 50–49 over Penn on February 9, 1999, remains the fifth-largest comeback and fourth-largest second-half comeback in NCAA history. That game's 9–33 half time deficit comeback remains the second-largest comeback.
  • 14 of the top 25 single-season team defensive averages since 1965 have been by Princeton.
  • Princeton ranked in the top 10 nationally in win percentage in both the 1960s (72.6, 188–71, 10th), and 1990s (76.1, 210–66, 8th).
  • Last Princeton team ranked in the polls during the season and at the end of the season was the 1997–98 team, which was ranked in all but the first three polls (15 weeks) of the season and finished the season 8th.
  • Other ranked teams according to the AP Poll 1950–51 (2 weeks, peak 18, finished unranked), 1966–67 (9 weeks, peak 3, finished 5), 1967–68 (2 weeks, peak 8, finished unranked, but 15 by UPI since AP was only top 10 at the time), 1971–72 (3 weeks, peak 14, finished unranked), 1974–75 (2 weeks, peak 12, finished 12), 1975–76 (2 weeks, peak 15, finished unranked, but 19T by UPI), 1990–91 (6 weeks, peak 18, finished 18).

Postseason

Princeton has appeared in 26 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournaments, 7 National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), 2 College Basketball Invitationals (CBI) and 8 Ivy League one-game playoffs.

NCAA tournaments

NCAA tournament seeding history

The NCAA began seeding the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament with the 1979 edition. The 64-team field started in 1985, which guaranteed that a championship team had to win six games.

Years →'81'83'84'89'90'91'92'96'97'98'01'04'11'17'23
Seeds →1112121613811131251514131215
Round →12111112121111S16

The Tigers have a 15–30 record in the NCAA tournament.

202368First round
Second Round
Sweet SixteenArizona
Missouri
CreightonW 59–55
W 78–63
L 75–86

In 2011 the round of 64 was the second round

NIT

202432FirstUNLVL 77–84

CBI

201416First
QuarterfinalTulane
Fresno StateW 56–55
L 56–72

Notes

References

  1. Princeton Athletic Communications. (June 12, 2009). "Men's Basketball Record Book • Ivy League & National Awards". Princeton University.
  2. "Men's Basketball Pros".
  3. Princeton Athletic Communications. "Princeton in the Pros". Princeton University.
  4. "Ivy Leaguers in the National Basketball Assoc.". ivyleaguesports.com.
  5. Princeton Athletic Communications. (June 12, 2009). "Men's Basketball Record Book • Coaching Record & Program Facts". Princeton University.
  6. Princeton Athletic Communications. (June 12, 2009). "Men's Basketball Record Book • Records vs. Division I Opponents". Princeton University.
  7. "Pierce Named Rookie of the Year, Evbuomwan & Allocco Named All-Ivy".
  8. "Mitch Henderson". Learfield.
  9. "Basketball All-Americans". ivyleaguesports.com.
  10. (October 2010). "Men's Honors". ivyleaguesports.com}} {{Dead link.
  11. (June 19, 2014). "Former Princeton coach Pete Carril's opinion of Cleveland Cavaliers candidate David Blatt: 'It's all good.'". cleveland.com.
  12. Torre, Pablo S.. (February 1, 2010). "Harvard School Of Basketball".
  13. (2019-02-06). "Ivy League Schools".
  14. (October 2010). "Men's Individual Records". ivyleaguesports.com}} {{Dead link.
  15. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  16. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  17. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  18. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  19. "Division I Championship". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  20. Princeton Athletic Communications. "1965 NCAA Final Four Team". Princeton University.
  21. "The Final Four". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  22. "The Final Four". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  23. "The Final Four". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  24. "The Final Four". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
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  31. "Men's Basketball Ranking Summary". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  32. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  33. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  34. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  35. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  36. (2009). "ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Men's Game". ESPN Books.
  37. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  38. "Weisz, Stephens, Henderson Earn Major Awards as Four Tigers Earn All-Ivy Honors".
  39. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  40. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  41. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  42. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  43. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  44. "Division I Records". [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]].
  45. "NCAA basketball tournament History". [[ESPN]].
  46. Princeton Athletic Communications. (June 22, 2009). "Men's Basketball Record Book • Men's Basketball in the Postseason". Princeton University.
  47. "Tourney History – NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship". ncaahistory.com.
  48. Shelton, Harold, Nick Loucks and Chris Fallica. (July 21, 2008). "Counting down the most prestigious programs since 1984–85". ESPN Internet Ventures.
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