Last Time Out
The Tigers moved to 4-0 on the season after an 82-57 victory over Monmouth inside the OceanFirst Bank Center on Nov. 18.
A Weekly Honor For Matt Allocco
On Nov. 20 the Ivy League honored senior Matt Allocco as Player of the Week after he averaged 21.0 points-per-game on 76.2% shooting from the field and 85.7% shooting from three along with 4.5 rebounds in the Tigers wins over Duquesne and Monmouth.
Strong Start For Allocco
A Second Team All-Ivy honoree in 2022-23, Allocco is averaging 19.0 points per game on 69.8% shooting from the field and 66.7% shooting from three along with 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists through four games.
One Of The Nation’s Most Accurate
Per KenPom, Allocco’s 66.7% mark from three ranks No. 13 in the nation. His true shooting percentage of 79.6 ranks No. 16 and his eFG% of 79.1 ranks No. 20. Allocco’s field goal percentage of 69.8 ranks No. 21.
A Career Night
In the Tigers’ win at Duquesne, Allocco had a career-night. He had career-highs in points (23) and made field goals (10) as he helped the Tigers defeat the Dukes 70-67.
MVP Mush
Allocco was named MVP of the Jersey Jam after finishing with 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting and nine rebounds.
Mush Milestone Watch
With 73 made three-pointers in his career at Princeton, Allocco needs to make 27 to reach 100 makes from deep.
Ivy Player of the Week
Sophomore Caden Pierce was honored as the Ivy League Player of the Week on Nov. 13 after averaging 17.0 points-per-game and 15.0 rebounds. He also recorded six assists, four steals and two blocks.
A Historic Performance
Pierce’s 26 points and 15 rebounds against Hofstra marked the first time a Princeton player recorded at least 26 points and 15 rebounds since Bob Roma ’79 on Dec. 6, 1978, in a 67-65 loss to Seton Hall inside Jadwin Gymnasium. In that game, Roma had 29 points and 18 rebounds.
Rebounding Machine
Pierce’s 9.0 defensive rebounds-per-game currently ranks No. 5 in the nation and his 12.0 rebounds-per-game currently ranks No. 6. Per KenPom, Pierce’s defensive rebound percentage of 29.2 ranks No. 35 nationally. In addition to opening with back-to-back games of 15 rebounds, Pierce has now pulled down at least 15 rebounds in three out of his last six games.
Caden Pierce Double-Double Tracker
With 20 points and 10 rebounds in Princeton’s win over Monmouth, Pierce recorded his second double-double of the season and the ninth of his career.
Double-Digit Pierce Rebounds = A Princeton Win
Dating back to the 2022-23 season, the Tigers have won 12-consecutive games when Pierce has had 10 rebounds or more in a game. When Pierce grabs at least 10 rebounds, Princeton is 12-1.
X-Factor
Xaivian Lee scored a career-high 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting and had three assists along with three rebounds in Princeton’s win at Duquesne. Through the Tigers’ first four games, Lee is averaging 16.0 points per game, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Additionally, Lee is shooting 47.4% from behind the three-point line and 45.7% from the field.
Blake The Driller
Blake Peters is averaging 10.5 and has connected on three three-pointers in three out of Princeton’s four games this season. Going back to the 2022-23 season, Peters had connected on at least three threes in five out of his last seven games.
Peters Milestone Tracker
With 69 made three pointers in his career, Peters needs 31 to reach 100 makes from deep.
Martini In The Middle
Senior Zach Martini has provided valuable senior leadership for the Tigers, averaging 7.8 points and 3.08rebounds. In Princeton’s win at Monmouth Martini finished with 10 points and four rebounds.
First Collegiate Points
Freshman Derek Sangster scored his first points at the college level with a corner three in Princeton’s win over Monmouth.
All-Time Series
The Tigers and the Monarchs will be meeting for the first time, while the Tigers and Huskies are tied 3-2 all-time. Most recently, Princeton defeated Northeastern in the London Basketball Classic Championship game, 56-54, on Nov. 26.
Power Five Wins
Since Mitch Henderson took over as Tigers’ head coach in the 2011-12 season, the Tigers 11 power five wins are the most of any Ivy program. In 2023 the Tigers took down Rutgers, Missouri Arizona and in 2021 Oregon State and South Carolina. The 2018 season saw Princeton defeat Arizona State while in 2017 the Tigers overcame USC. In 2013 the Tigers earned victories over Penn State and Rutgers, and in 2011 Florida State and Rutgers fell to Princeton.
Run It Back
The Tigers are coming off a historic 2022-23 season that saw the team become the fourth No. 15 seed to make the Sweet Sixteen and win the Ivy League Tournament and Regular Season Championships, along with the London Basketball Classic. The Tigers defeated a pair of nationally-ranked opponents (No. 8 Arizona & No. 23 Missouri), became the 11th No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 seed after taking down Arizona 58-55 in the in the NCAA Tournament Round 64, and earned the largest ever margin of victory for a No. 15 seed thanks to a 78-63 win over Mizzou in the Round of 32.
The Athletic Pierce Family
Greg Pierce, Caden’s father, played football at Northwestern and Stephanie Pierce, his mother, played volleyball at Northwestern. Alec Pierce, his brother, is a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts and was a second round pick in the 2022 NFL draft who played at University of Cincinnati. Pierce’s other brother, Justin Pierce (brother) played three years of college basketball at William and Mary, graduated in three years and transferred to University of North Carolina for final year and played under Roy Williams, now plays professional basketball overseas.
Lee Leads The Canadian U19 Team
Xaivian Lee represented Canada over the summer in Hungary at the FIBA U19 World Cup. He averaged 14.1 points-per-game from the field along with 3.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds. Overall, Lee ranked 14th in scoring at the FIBA U19 World Cup.
Welcome, Luke Gore
Luke Gore joins the Tigers’ coaching staff as an assistant coach in 2023-24. Gore joins the Tigers from Wichita State, where he served as the Director of Basketball Operations since April 2023. Prior to that, he was on staff at Valparaiso for 21 years, rising to Associate Head Coach in 2016. Gore served as an assistant coach from 2003 – 2016 and an administrative assistant from 2002 – 2003. During his time with the Beacons, Gore helped guide the program to 387 victories including a school record 30 wins in 2016. He led them to three NCAA Tournament appearances and four NIT appearances along with seven conference championships and three conference tournament titles.
The Newcomers
The Tigers welcome five freshmen in 2023-24; Dalen Davis, Jackson Hicke, Jacob Huggins, Derek Sangster and Ryan Duncan.
Princeton Alumni
Five alums are doing grad years at other institutions due to an Ivy rule that does not allowed student-athletes to compete for a fifth year in the conference. Ryan Langborg ’23 is at Northwestern, Keeshawn Kellman ’23 at Florida Gulf Coast, Jacob O’Connell ’23 at Merrimack, Konrad Kiszka ’23 at NYU and Jaelin Llewellyn ’22 at Michigan.
#PrincetonPros
10 Princeton men’s basketball alumni are currently playing professional basketball. Tosan Evbuomwan ’23 (Motor City Cruise), Devin Cannady ’20 (Birmingham Squadron), Ethan Wright ’22 (CSM Tárgu Jiu), Ryan Schwieger ’21 (Rasta Vechta), Richmond Aririguzoh ’20 (Rasta Vechta), Myles Stephens ’19 (Dolomiti Energia Trento), Amir Bell ’18 (Anwil Wloclawek), Spencer Weisz ’17 (Hapoel Haifa), Henry Caruso ’17 (Élan Chalon), and Ian Hummer ’13 (Osaka Evessa).
From Tigers to Rangers
Two former members of the Princeton men’s basketball team have played key roles in leading the Texas Rangers to becoming World Series Champions. Rangers GM Chris Young ’02 had a dominant two seasons as a basketball player at Princeton; he was the first male athlete to be named Ivy Rookie of the Year in two sports (basketball and baseball) in 1999 and was named All-Ivy League in both his seasons. Will Venable ’05, Associate Manager of the Rangers, was a two-time All-Ivy honoree, and became the second player in history to be named All-Ivy in both basketball and baseball.
From Crimson to Tiger
Ryan Duncan’s father is Arne Duncan, a 1987 Harvard graduate who was a member of the men’s basketball team. An Academic All-American, Duncan played professional basketball in Australia from 1988 through 1991.
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