CRIMSON TIDE: Princeton University women’s hockey player Sharon Frankel battles for the puck in recent action. Last Sunday senior forward and co-captain Franklin tallied a goal and an assist to help the eighth-seeded seeded Tigers edge top-seeded Harvard 3-2 in the decisive game three of an ECAC Hockey best-of-three quarterfinal series. Princeton’s series victory over the Crimson marked the first time since the ECACH started quarterfinals in 2002 that an eighth-seeded team eliminated the top-seed. This weekend, Princeton, now 13-14-5 overall, will be competing in the ECACH semis at New Haven, Conn., facing second seeded and seventh-ranked Yale (24-7-1) on March 4 with the victor advancing to the title game the next day. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Cara Morey saw it coming.

As Princeton University women’s hockey head coach Morey looked ahead to the ECAC Hockey best-of-three quarterfinal series last weekend between her eighth-seeded seeded Tigers and top-seeded Harvard, she was confident of an upset.

“I am excited, we always play well against Harvard,” said Morey, whose team had two narrow losses to the Crimson in regular season action. “It was a 1-0 game (on January 21) and a 2-0 game (on February 11). We can definitely take it to them. Our league this year is so tight, anybody can win. Harvard is not happy drawing us.”

Acting on Morey’s message, the Tigers took it to Harvard, ranked sixth nationally, in game one on Friday, topping the Crimson 4-2 as senior captain and Arlington, Mass., native Shannon Griffin tallied two goals and an assist to lead the way for Princeton.

A day later, the Tigers nearly knocked out Harvard, taking a 1-0 second period lead on a goal by Grace Kuipers before succumbing 2-1 in overtime.

On Sunday, Princeton made Harvard very unhappy, building a 3-1 lead by midway through the third period on goals by Sharon Frankel, Maggie Connors, and Griffin and then held off the Crimson for a history-making 3-2 win.

The triumph by the Tigers, now 13-14-5 overall, marked the first time since the ECACH started quarterfinals in 2002 that an eighth-seeded team eliminated the top-seed.

Griffin enjoyed a special homecoming, tallying three goals and three assists on the weekend. Senior goalie Rachel McQuigge spearheaded the Tiger defensive effort, stopping 103 of 109 shots for a .945 save percentage and was later named the ECAC Hockey Goalie of the Week. more

OPENING SALVO: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Alex Slusher races upfield last Saturday as Princeton hosted Monmouth in its season opener. Playing its first game since March 2020 after that season got halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, Princeton rolled to a 22-6 victory over the Hawks. Junior attackman Slusher contributed five goals and an assist in the win. The Tigers, now ranked 20th nationally, were slated to host Binghamton on February 22 before playing at No. 1 Maryland in February 26. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Gusts howled through Class of 1952 Stadium early Saturday afternoon as the wind chill plummeted to the 20s and a snow squall eventually blew in, but Alex Slusher was perfectly comfortable.

With the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team hitting the field to host Monmouth for its first game since March 2020 after that season got halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, Tiger junior attackman Slusher and his teammates were thrilled to be out in the cold.

“It was pretty crazy, getting to step on the field, we were just excited,” said Slusher.

“We missed it a lot. We have been talking  about this since March 10 that year or whatever day that was. That is what made it even more special. We were here all spring last year with no games. There were literally 20 of us, freshmen and sophomores, practicing on our own, going and watching Michael Sowers (former Princeton star who graduated in 2020) play for Duke on the weekends. I love playing with this team and it was fun more than anything.”

After a sluggish start as the Tigers shook off some rust and worked through the emotions of the day, Princeton started clicking, outscoring the Hawks 6-3 in the second quarter to build a 10-5 halftime lead.

“We are best when we share the ball and we really started to do that in the second quarter,” said Slusher, who tallied four goals and an assist in the first half. “That is what coach Mitchell (offensive coordinator Jim Mitchell) always says. If we share the ball, play unselfish and move the rock, good things are going to happen.” more

LONG TIME COMING: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Andrew Song heads upfield in a 2020 game. Senior longstick midfielder and co-captain Song will be counted on to help spearhead the Princeton defense. The Tigers, who last played a game on March 7, 2020, open their 2022 season by hosting Monmouth on February 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into this spring, the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team is looking to pick up where it left off in 2020.

Featuring a core of senior stars, Princeton roared out to a 5-0 start that year, rising to No. 3 in the national polls.

But the season was halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled in light of ongoing COVID concerns.

As Princeton prepares to start its 2022 season by hosting Monmouth on February 19, Matt Madalon is looking forward to simply getting back into the grind.

“We are just excited to play just to have a season, preparing for games, recovering and all of that,” said Tiger head coach Madalon, who is entering his sixth season at the helm of the program. “That is what we most excited for, the rhythm of the game prep.”

The Tigers will have a different offensive rhythm this spring in the absence of superstar attackman Michael Sowers, who graduated in 2020 and went on to help Duke make the NCAA semis last year as a grad student. more

DARTING BY: Princeton University men’s basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan looks to get by Dartmouth’s Aaryn Rai last Saturday. Junior star Evbuomwan scored 15 points and had five rebounds as Princeton defeated Dartmouth 85-40. The Tigers, now 17-5 overall and 7-2 Ivy League, play at Brown on February 18 and at Yale on February 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Over the course of the 2021-22 campaign, the Princeton University men’s basketball team has featured a high-octane offense but has been a work in progress at the defensive end.

Through 21 games, the Tigers had scored at a clip of 80.9 points a game but had yielded 71.4 points per contest and been plagued by some defensive lapses at key times.

Last Saturday against visiting Dartmouth, though, Princeton produced a defensive masterpiece, jumping out to a 43-13 halftime lead over the Big Green and cruising to an 85-40 triumph. The Tigers held Dartmouth to 23.1 percent shooting from the floor (12-51), including 1-20 from 3-point range, and built a 50-27 edge on the boards.

The most important thing for us has been guarding,” said Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson, whose team improved to 17-5 overall and 7-2 Ivy League with the victory. more

RED ALERT: Princeton University wrestler Quincy Monday makes a move on Cornell’s Hunter Richard last Saturday at 157 pounds. Junior Monday posted an 8-4 win over Richard buy the Tigers fell 21-12 to the Big Red. A day later, Princeton topped Rider 33-7 as Monday posted a 7-2 decision over former Princeton High standout Alec Bobchin. The Tigers, now 5-3 overall and 3-1 Ivy League, have a dual at Lehigh on February 11 and then host Penn a day later. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In February 2020, the Princeton University wrestling team produced a historic breakthrough, edging Cornell 19-13 to end a 32-match losing streak to the Big Red and clinch the program’s first Ivy League title since 1986.

With the 2020-21 season being canceled due to COVID-19  concerns, the rivals met last Saturday for the first time in nearly two years and Princeton head coach Chris Ayres was expecting some fireworks.

“I thought that it was going to be a great dual, there were a lot of toss-ups,” said Ayres.

“There were a couple of matches that both teams could feel pretty confident about and we knew that it would be a battle of toss-ups and we thought 174 to heavyweight was going to be the area where we could either win it or lose it.”

Ayres proved prescient as Princeton lost at 174 pounds, 184, 197, and heavyweight in falling 21-12 to the Big Red. The Tigers got wins in the dual from Jake Marsh at 165, No. 1 Patrick Glory at 125, Danny Coles at 14, and No. 8 Quincy Monday at 157.

“If you would have told me at the beginning of the dual that Jake Marsh is going to win and so is Glory, that was a huge toss-up, I would have said we are going to win this dual for sure,” said Ayres.

“That is what is great about dual meets you can put anything you want on paper and that stuff can go all over the map.”

Junior standouts Glory and Monday have been giving Princeton some great stuff this season. more

ROLLING STONE: Princeton University women’s basketball player Grace Stone fakes out a foe in a game earlier this season. Last weekend, junior guard Stone came up big as Princeton defeated Cornell 75-37 on Friday and then topped Columbia 57-39 in clash of teams that entered the game unbeaten in Ivy League play. In the victory on Friday, Stone contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, and five assists and then had 10 points, seven rebounds, and two assists against Columbia. The Tigers, now 16-4 overall and 8-0 Ivy, play at Dartmouth on February 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton University women’s basketball team hosting Cornell on Friday and Columbia a night later in a clash of Ivy League frontrunners, Grace Stone set the tone for the Tigers.

Princeton junior guard Stone notched the first bucket of the weekend, putting in a layup against Cornell, helping the Tigers jump out to an 18-5 first quarter lead and they never looked back on the way to a 75-37 win.

“We really wanted to just come out and dominate Cornell,” said Stone. “We set goals for ourselves and I think that we met those. We are happy with the win.”

Princeton met its goals at the defensive end, stifling the Big Red from the opening tip.

“It is something that we always stress, that is something that is very important to us,” said Stone, reflecting on a defensive effort that saw the Tigers hold Cornell to 32.6 percent shooting from the floor (14-41) and forcing 22 turnovers.

“We are always trying to hold teams, especially in the first quarter and the first five minutes. We always want to start off well. I think we did that, we were really aggressive.”

Stone was aggressive in looking for her shot, tallying a game-high 14 points on 5-11 shooting.  more

LABOR OF LOVE: Jerry Price proudly displays his book, “I Can Do Anything,” chronicling the first 50 years of women’s athletics at Princeton University, which came out on December 1. Price, who has been with Princeton University’s Office of Athletic Communications since 1989, spent 14 months and conducted nearly 100 interviews in writing the book. The 500-page opus is crammed with stories of the inspiring athletes who made Tiger women’s sports a powerhouse. (Photo provided by Jerry Price)

By Bill Alden

In a departure from his day job working in Princeton University’s Office of Athletic Communications, Jerry Price penned a romantic novel, With You, that came out in 2020.

In writing the well-received book, Price learned an important lesson about crafting fiction

“Somebody asked me the difference between fiction and non-fiction, and I said non-fiction is a lot harder because you can’t just make it all up,” said Price, who has been working in Princeton athletics since 1989 and was a sportswriter for the Trenton Times before that.

Now, Price has authored a second book, I Can Do Anything, chronicling the first 50 years of women’s athletics at Princeton that is crammed with stories that seem to be made up because of the improbable journey to success of the inspiring athletes profiled.

Starting with a pair of Princeton coeds entering the Eastern Intercollegiate tennis tournament as last-minute entrants in 1970, Tiger women athletes have gone on to achieve an astonishing array of accomplishments, including a slew of All-American honors, numerous Ivy League and NCAA individual and team titles, and Olympic gold medals, among many others. more

ON THE BALL: Princeton University women’s basketball player Chet Nweke (No. 25) battles for the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, sophomore forward Nweke scored six points in 16 minutes off the bench as Princeton rolled to a 78-35 win over visiting Dartmouth. The Tigers, now 13-4 overall and 5-0 Ivy League, play at Yale on January 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In developing into a college basketball player, Chet Nweke honed her skills through competing with her older brother Ike.

“We have fights when we play one-on-one, he definitely impacted my basketball career a lot,” said Princeton University women’s basketball sophomore forward Nweke, whose brother Ike is a senior star forward on Columbia.

“He would always push me to get into the gym. Working out with him has just made me tougher as a basketball player. I would go to his AAU practices, playing with boys was a nice thing to do to get stronger and more confident.”

Last Saturday, Nweke displayed her toughness, contributing six points, one rebound, and one assist in 16 minutes off the bench as Princeton rolled to a 78-35 win over visiting Dartmouth, improving to 13-4 overall and 5-0 Ivy League.

“Coming into this game, I wanted to feel like I was a big part of this team,” said Nweke, a 6’0 native of Woodbine, Md., who is averaging 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 17 appearances off the bench. more

RETURNING WITH BANG: Princeton University men’s basketball player Jaelin Llewellyn dribbles past a foe in recent action. Last Monday, senior guard Llewellyn returned from being sidelined for two games due to a leg injury and helped Princeton defeat Penn 74-64. Llewellyn contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and an assist as the Tigers improved to 14-3 overall and 4-0 Ivy League, extending their winning streak to nine games. Princeton is next in action when it plays at Dartmouth on January 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As the Princeton University men’s basketball team got ready to take the court against archival Penn last Monday at Jadwin Gym, it got a lift before the contest even tipped off.

Princeton senior star point guard Jaelin Llewellyn, who had been sidelined the last two games due to a hamstring injury, was back in the starting lineup for the Tigers.

“I felt pretty good, I was just getting back into it pretty much,” said Llewellyn, reflecting on his return.

“I just wanted to go out there and do whatever I could. It is hard sitting and watching because I wanted to be out there with my guys. It is good to be back.”

With Llewellyn back at the controls of the offense, Princeton jumped out to a 34-28 halftime lead. In the second half, the Tigers held off a rally by the Quakers who drew to within 51-49 midway through the half and trailed 61-56 with 4:49 left. In crunch time, Llewellyn hit two jumpers and had an assist as Princeton stretched its lead to 68-58 and never looked back on the way to a 74-64 win.

The Tigers, who improved to 14-3 overall and 4-0 Ivy League with the victory, extended their winning streak to nine games. The triumph marked Princeton’s 13th win in its last 15 games against the Quakers and fifth in a row in the rivalry. more

BIRTHDAY PARTY: Princeton University men’s basketball player Matt Allocco, left, lofts the three-pointer that beat Cornell 72-70 at the buzzer last Saturday evening. At right, his teammates mob Allocco after the shot which came on his 21st birthday as he made his first college start. The Tigers, now 12-3 overall and 2-0 Ivy League, host Brown on January 15 and Penn on January 17. (Photo by Stephen Goldsmith)

By Bill Alden

Trailing Cornell 39-25 at halftime last Saturday, players on the Princeton University men’s basketball team trudged disconsolately across the court to their locker room with head coach Mitch Henderson walking behind shaking his head in frustration.

But about an hour later, the Princeton players were jumping for joy and mobbing Matt Allocco on the court after he drained a long buzzer-beating three-pointer to give the Tigers an improbable 72-70 win after they trailed by 18 points early in the second half.

It was Allocco’s 21st birthday and his first college start as he stepped in the lineup to replace senior star guard and Princeton’s leading scorer Jaelin Llewellyn, who was sidelined after injuring his leg in an 84-69 win over Columbia the day before.

“It felt good coming off, it was straight,” said Allocco, recalling the buzzer-beater.

“I don’t know how to react in those situations. It went in and I just put my arm up. It was a crazy moment. I did a buzzer beater when I was younger maybe but in this situation in conference play, against a really good team, it was really special.”

It was a crazy finish as Princeton trailed 60-51 with 6:30 left in regulation and then went on an 18-9 run to take a 69-68 lead with 23 seconds left in regulation. Cornell got a layup from Dean Noll to go up 70-69 and Princeton took the ball with six seconds remaining, setting up Allocco’s fantastic finish. more

SPLIT DECISION: Princeton University women’s hockey goalie Rachel McQuigge does a split to thwart a Clarkson player last Friday. Senior star McQuigge made 37 saves in a losing cause as a short-handed Princeton squad fell 3-1 to No. 9 Clarkson. The contest was a family affair as McQuigge battled her younger sisters, Clarkson forwards junior Brooke and sophomore Kristyn. The Tigers, now 7-6-3 overall and 5-3-1 ECAC Hockey, are slated to play at Union on January 14 and at RPI on January 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It turned out to be a fierce ECAC Hockey battle when the Princeton University women’s hockey team hosted No. 9 Clarkson at Hobey Baker Rink last Saturday afternoon.

The contest was spiced up by a sibling rivalry as Princeton senior goalie Rachel McQuigge battled her younger sisters, Clarkson forwards junior Brooke and sophomore Kristyn.

“That is always really exciting; I played with Brooke growing up a bit in the summer and when I played juniors,” said netminder  McQuigge, a 5’7 native of Bowmanville, Ontario.

“Her freshman year was the first time we ever played against each other. Both of my sisters are very talented. It added an extra level of compete to the game, there is definitely a little trash talk.”

While McQuigge competed hard between the pipes, making 37 saves, it wasn’t enough as Princeton fell 3-1 to the Golden Knights to move to 7-6-3 overall and 5-3-1 ECAC Hockey. more

RISING STAR: Princeton University women’s basketball player Kaitlyn Chen heads to the hoop in a game earlier this season. Last Sunday, sophomore guard Chen made a superb Ivy League debut, tallying a career-high 15 points as Princeton defeated Harvard 68-50 in the league opener for both teams. The Tigers, now 8-4 overall and 1-0 Ivy, play at Columbia on January 7 and at Cornell on January 8. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

When the Princeton University women’s basketball team hosted Harvard last Sunday afternoon, it marked its first Ivy League game in 667 days.

The game also marked the Ivy debut for Princeton sophomore guard Kaitlyn Chen and she was pumped.

“It was a lot of fun, just coming out and playing with my team,” said Chen, a 5’9 native of San Marino, Calif., who didn’t get the chance to play last winter as the Ivy League canceled the season due to COVID-19 concerns.

“We have missed these games, this season has been so much fun. We have been waiting for this.”

Chen had a lot of fun in her first taste of Ivy action, making an immediate impact, scoring a career-high 15 points to help Princeton win 68-50 as it improved to 8-4 overall and 1-0 Ivy.

“I was just looking to be more aggressive and getting into gaps and finding my teammates,” said Chen, who chipped in three assists, three steals, and two rebounds in the win over the Crimson.

Making her third career start after recently having been inserted into the starting five, Chen is developing a comfort level with her new role.  more

STATE OF GRACE: Princeton High girls’ hockey player Grace Rebak controls the puck in a game last season. Senior captain and star defender Rebak is providing athleticism and leadership for PHS. The Tigers, now 0-2-1, return to action after the holiday break by playing the Lawrenceville JV on January 12 at their Loucks Ice Center and then hosting Princeton Day School on January 14 at Ice Land Rink. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

It hasn’t taken long for a pair of freshmen, Cece Gibb and Cassie Speir, to form a potent one-two punch this winter for the Princeton High girls’ hockey team.

In a 10-6 loss to Randolph on December 14 in its final action before the holiday break, PHS got three goals apiece from Gibb and Speir.

Tiger head coach Christian Herzog knows he is lucky to have Gibb and Speir join the program.

“Cece is a Tier 1 Colonials player, it is a great pickup for us,” said Herzog, whose team started 0-2-1 before going on holiday break.

“She has the speed, she can shoot. We put her on defense and she has the green light any time she feels like it to make a play. She is a smaller player but she has speed like no other, she has amazing skating. Cassie is big for a freshman, she plays travel too with the Tiger Lilies. She is strong on the puck, she is aggressive and is not afraid. She has a great shot. Those two players are pretty much leaned on all the way.”

A third newcomer, Maya Hagt, is also making an impact in the early going.

“Maya is another freshman who plays for the Tiger Lilies,” added Herzog. “She moves well with the puck.” more

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE: Princeton University women’s soccer goalie Grace Barbara whips the ball upfield in a game this fall. Senior star and former Princeton Day School standout Barbara helped Princeton go 15-3-1 overall and 6-1 Ivy League as the Tigers advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After the Ivy League canceled competition for the 2020 fall season and the 2020-21 winter campaign due to COVID-19 concerns, Princeton University athletes got some limited opportunities to get back in action this spring.

Princeton rowers were thrilled to get the chance to row in a regatta against boats from Temple and Drexel in Philadelphia on April 25, their first racing since spring of 2019 and the first competition for Tiger athletics in 407 days. The women’s lightweight varsity 8 went on to make history, winning the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) grand final, its first national title since 2003. On the track, star thrower Obi Amaechi punctuated her stellar career by finishing 13th in the discus in the NCAA championships, earning second-team All-American honors.

It was full speed ahead in the fall for Princeton athletes and several teams produced memorable campaigns. Tiger football went 9-1 overall and 6-1 Ivy to share the league crown with Dartmouth. Overcoming a shaky start, men’s soccer caught fire down the stretch, going 7-0 in Ivy play to win the league crown. Led by Australian Olympian steeplechaser Ed Trippas, men’s cross country won the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships and went on to place first at the NCCA Mid-Atlantic regional. Men’s water polo won the Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) tournament and topped Fordham 17-8 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Although women’s soccer didn’t win the Ivy title, it went 15-3-1 overall and 6-1 Ivy, earning an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Princeton posted a 2-0 win over visiting Vermont in the first round of the NCAAs before falling 3-2 in overtime to TCU in the round of 32.

While local high school teams did have a winter season, it was abbreviated and split into segments by sport. That limited campaign, though, didn’t prevent some highlight moments. Princeton High senior Chloe Ayres made history, earning her third straight state title, prevailing at 114 pounds at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) girls’ state wrestling championships.

Both the PHS boys’ and girls’ swimming teams went 12-0, competing in a virtual meet format. The Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team also went undefeated, going 5-0-1 while the Panther boys’ hockey team nearly matched that feat, posting a 4-1-1 record. The Hun School boys’ basketball team made the most out of its shortened season, going 8-2.

There was an increased sense of normalcy when the spring rolled around as postseason play resumed. The Hun baseball team rolled to a 19-2 record, winning its fifth straight state Prep A title in the process. The PHS boys’ tennis team also produced a dominant campaign, going 17-1 and winning both the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional and the CVC conference titles. Making coach Sheryl Severance’s 28th and final season coaching the boys’ golf program one to remember, Princeton High had a 15-0 record in dual match play, winning the first-ever CVC Match Play Tournament and taking second in the Central/South Jersey sectional. The Princeton Day School boys’ tennis team placed third in the state Prep B tournament, earning two individual titles as Aaron Phogat and Oliver Silverio won the first doubles flight while the pair of Will Sedgley and Mark Santamaria prevailed at second doubles.

In the fall season, a number of programs made history. Bouncing back from a 0-4-1 season in 2020, the Hun School girls’ soccer team posted a 12-5-2 record, edging Pennington 4-3 in overtime in a thrilling state Prep A final and also winning the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) title. The Hun football team was a juggernaut, going 9-0 and outscoring foes 374-63 this fall. With Princeton Day School joining the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA), two Panther teams earned the initial sectional titles in school history as the girls’ tennis team won the South Jersey Non-Public A championship and boys’ soccer prevailed in the South Jersey Non-Public B sectional.

Led by high-scoring striker Sophia Lis, the Princeton High girls’ soccer team produced a season for the ages, going 21-3, winning the CVC title, the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional championship, and making the program’s first-ever trip to the state Group 3 final along the way. The PHS girls’ tennis team added to its championship tradition, winning the Central Jersey Group 3 sectional crown. The Tiger cross country teams also excelled as the girls’ squad placed first at the Mercer County championship meet while the boys’ team prevailed at the Central Jersey Group 4 sectional meet. more

BOOK OF ELIJAH: Princeton University men’s basketball player Elijah Barnes defends Keondre Kennedy of UMBC last Monday night at Jadwin Gym. Senior forward Barnes tallied nine points in 13 minutes off the bench against the Retrievers, going 4 of 4 from the floor, to help Princeton pull away to an 89-77 victory. The Tigers, now 9-3, will be on a hiatus for exams and will return to action when they host Kean University on December 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton University men’s basketball team deadlocked at 71-71 against UMBC last Monday evening at Jadwin Gym, an unlikely one-two tandem turned the tide in favor of the Tigers.

Little-used senior reserve Elijah Barnes scored seven points on a jumper, a dunk, and a three-pointer while senior star guard Jaelin Llewellyn hit a three-pointer and a layup to spark a 12-0 run as the Tigers pulled away to an 89-77 victory, posting their fourth straight win in improving to 9-3.

For Barnes, who had just played 33 minutes this season in six appearances off the bench entering Monday, coming up big was a matter of staying in the moment.

“I come to work every day in practice and try to be there for my teammates and support them,” said the 6’7, 215-pound Barnes, who ended up with nine points in 13 minutes on 4 of 4 shooting with two rebounds and a blocked shot.

“Whether it is helping somebody else get extra work in everyday or talking to Tosan [Evbuomwan], Zach [Martini], or Mason [Hooks] and making sure they know what they have to do. It prepares me. I watch to see that they are doing and what they need to do. As a senior, being here for a fifth year is big time. I have been around the program for a long time and I have waited my turn. I got an opportunity and I made the most of it so that is all anybody has to do.” more

GOING TO THE GLASS: Princeton University women’s basketball player Ellie Mitchell heads in for a layup in recent action. Last Saturday, sophomore forward Mitchell pulled down a career-high 19 rebounds in a losing cause as Princeton fell 70-60 to Seton Hall. The defeat snapped a 21-game home winning streak for the Tigers, the third longest in the nation heading into the day. Princeton, which fell to 6-3 with the setback, hosts Texas on December 22. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Princeton University women’s basketball team hosting a tall and skilled Seton Hall squad last Saturday afternoon, Ellie Mitchell knew she had to hit the boards for the Tigers.

“In our last loss (76-67 to Fordham on December 5) we got out-toughed so that is one of the things we can control, work hard and hit a body and go chase the ball,” said 6’0 sophomore forward Mitchell, a native of Chevy Chase, Md.

“I think that all comes back to being a team effort, everyone boxes out. That is a big thing, whether or not shots are falling, rebounding what I need to do.”

Mitchell displayed her toughness against the Pirates, pulling down a career-high 19 rebounds, the most in a game for Princeton since Bella Alarie had 19 against Quinnipiac on December 8, 2018.

But Mitchell’s hard work on the glass wasn’t enough as Seton Hall defeated Princeton 70-60, snapping its 21-game home winning streak, the third longest in the nation heading into the day as the Tigers fell in Jadwin Gym for the first time since losing 86-76 to Yale on February 8, 2019.

“They had some great offensive players, they had two girls averaging high teens and a really big post player and we were ready for that,” said Mitchell, reflecting on the setback which dropped Princeton to 6-3. more

RALLY TIME: Princeton University men’s basketball player Tosan Evbuomwan, right, goes after the ball in recent action. Last Sunday, junior forward Evbuomwan scored a career-high 27 points to help Princeton rally for an 81-79 overtime win against visiting Drexel. The Tigers trailed by six points in the last minute of regulation and by six points early in the overtime before pulling out the win over the Dragons. Princeton, who improved to 6-3 with the victory, plays at Lafayette on December 11 before hosting UMBC on December 13. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Twice it looked like the Princeton University men’s basketball team had lost the game as it hosted Drexel last Saturday afternoon.

With 42 seconds left in regulation, Princeton trailed 71-66 but reeled off five straight points on a pair of free throws by Jaelin Llewellyn and a dramatic three-pointer by Ryan Langborg to knot the game at 71-71 and force overtime.

In the extra session, the Tigers were trailing 77-71 with 3:29 left but once again battled back, outscoring the Dragons 10-2 down the stretch. Tosan Evbuomwan hit a pair of clutch free throws and the winning bucket as Princeton pulled out an improbable 81-79 victory before a frenzied crowd of 1,312 at Jadwin Gym.

“That is an incredible win for us; I hate saying it, we weren’t deserving for parts of the game,” said Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson, whose team improved to 6-3.

 more