JACKING IT UP: Princeton University men’s basketball player Jackson Hicke lofts a jumper in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, sophomore guard Hicke scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds in a losing cause as Princeton fell 76-61 to Dartmouth. The Tigers, now 17-9 overall and 6-5 Ivy League, play at Cornell on February 28 and at Columbia on March 1. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Earlier this winter, the Princeton University men’s basketball team displayed a propensity for overcoming double-digit deficits to earn dramatic victories.

In games against Iona, Akron, and Columbia, the Tigers trailed by 16 points, 15 points, and 20 points, respectively, before roaring back for improbable wins.

Last Saturday as the Tigers hosted Dartmouth it looked like the Tigers were at it again, falling behind 21-4 before narrowing the gap to 38-34 by halftime and 43-41 early in the second half.

But this time, Princeton faltered down the stretch as Dartmouth responded with a 22-5 run and never looked back on the way to a 76-61 win before a crowd of 2,519 at Jadwin Gym.

A subdued and frustrated Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson acknowledged that the Tigers got dispirited as their rally fizzled.

“It was three at the 15 minute mark and then they made some big plays and it got back to eight and I thought we got deflated,” lamented Henderson, whose team dropped to 17-9 overall and 6-5 Ivy League as it suffered its fifth loss in the last eight games. “There was a little discouragement with the group. We have pulled some stuff out of our hat in the last three months and we don’t have that as much right now. We have to find that and we can’t get discouraged. We have got to keep fighting, we have to keep working.”

While the dramatic rallies have been exciting, the slow starts that have prompted the comebacks have been a nagging issue for the Tigers.

“It was very flat,” said Henderson in assessing Princeton’s early struggles against Dartmouth. “It has been a real problem for us all season. We lack focus on the littlest of things and going as hard as we possibly can.”

Princeton junior guard Xaivian Lee, who scored a game-high 24 points, conceded that the Tigers got sapped as they faced uphill battles in both halves against the Big Green.

“I think we erased an 18-point deficit in the first half, we got it where we wanted,” said Lee. “I think Dalen [Davis] really stepped up today and was making plays in the first half especially to cut the lead. I got going a little bit in the second half. We got to three and we are right in it. Then I started to miss a lot of shots and they hit a couple of tough shots. It is hard to come back from double digits twice in a game.”

The Tigers made it hard on themselves as they shot poorly, going just 8-for-34 (23.5 percent) from three-point range.

“The shots aren’t coming in rhythm,” said Henderson. “I thought we got really good shots to start the game. They didn’t go in and all of a sudden we are down 13-2 and 21-6. I think everybody is getting a little tired of it. We have got to get some easy twos, that is a big focus for us.”

Sophomore guard Jackson Hicke concurred, noting that the Tigers misfired from the perimeter.

“I think the biggest thing for us is that we have got to make open shots,” said Hicke, who scored 10 points with six rebounds in the defeat. “I thought we got a lot of good looks today, me included, from three and we have got to hit them and to capitalize.”

With Princeton playing at Cornell on February 28 and at Columbia on March 1, Henderson is looking for his players to show a greater sense of urgency as they get ready for that trip.

“We are showing improvement but we are going to have to improve really fast,” said Henderson, whose team started last weekend by defeating Harvard 76-71 last Friday. “We have to keep our heads up. There is a lot of basketball left but little time. This is what March is about. Next weekend is March and you can correct. We have got to fight harder during the week, that is the main thing. It is prepare really, really well and then go into the weekend with a fresh mindset. There three games left and we are right there.”

While things look bleak for the Tigers, Henderson is confident they can get headed in the right direction.

“Right now I would say don’t hang your head and win three in a row,” said Henderson. “We got beat by a very good team, they were better than us tonight. We can be so much better. We have good players so let’s keep going. That is my approach. I want to have three more weeks with this team, not two. Everything is right in front of them and you can do it, it can happen. You have to make that (Ivy) tournament, that is your objective. These games are like playoff games and I am excited about it. We have got a lot to play for and I would hope that these guys feel the same way.”