Three of the Tigers’ last four games have been decided by fewer than six points. In the Tigers’ heartbreaking two-point loss to Brown last Saturday, senior forward and co-captain Noah Savage had arguably the best game of his career, netting 35 points. Individual efforts like Savage’s and the composure to play a full 40 minutes will be what the Tigers need to manage a pair of victories this weekend.
If the Tigers defeat the Crimson, it will be the sixth time in the past eight seasons that Princeton (5-17 overall, 2-5 Ivy League) has swept Harvard (6-18, 1-7). The Tigers, who lead the all-time series with Harvard 121-37, won the first matchup between the teams earlier this year at Jadwin. In that game, the Tigers came alive in the final six minutes of the second half, outscoring Harvard 20-5 on their way to a 68-54 win.
Senior forward and co-captain Kyle Koncz found a scoring rhythm and tallied a career-high 24 points, 21 of which came in the first half. He also managed six of 11 shots from behind the arc.
Sophomore guard Lincoln Gunn performed well for the Tigers, scoring all 17 of his points in the second half and contributing to the final push that sealed the win for Princeton. Second-chance points were crucial for the Tigers in a game that saw 12 lead changes, as Princeton notched 12 second-chance points while Harvard had none.
Harvard lost to both Cornell and Columbia last weekend but proved dangerous against the Big Red, as Cornell came back against the Crimson in the final minute for a thrilling victory. If Harvard can compete this well against the league’s unbeaten leader, Princeton can’t afford to underestimate its Ivy League rival this weekend.
In the matchup between Princeton and Harvard earlier this season, Jeremy Lin, who boasts a team-high 12.2 points per game, led the Crimson effort with 17 points and nine rebounds. Teammate Brad Unger had 11 points and seven rebounds for Harvard.
Evan Harris is a crucial post player for the Crimson and leads the team in rebounds with 130, but Harris came up empty-handed against the Tigers in the teams’ last meeting. Drew Housman will also be an offensive threat for the Crimson, as he averages 11.5 points per game and shoots .389 from behind the three-point line.
Princeton will travel from Cambridge to Hanover, N.H. on Saturday to face Dartmouth (8-14, 1-7). The Tigers opened their Ivy League season with a 57-53 win against Dartmouth and will be looking for the same result this weekend. Gunn, who leads the Tigers with 65 assists, came up huge against the Big Green, scoring a team-high 17 points.
Two of Gunn’s five three-pointers came during a 10-0 Princeton run midway through the second half to give the Tigers a lead they did not relinquish. Princeton also had a strong defensive effort in the second half. While the Big Green shot 52 percent from the field during the first 20 minutes, the Tigers limited Dartmouth to just 33 percent shooting in the second half. A repeat defensive performance will be crucial for the Tigers to put another tally in the win column.
Alex Barnett led the Big Green effort that weekend with 20 points and 10 rebounds. He leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 16.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and will be Dartmouth’s most dangerous offensive weapon. He will be flanked by DeVon Mosley, who has put up double digits in the scoring column in most games this season. Marlon Sanders had 15 points against the Tigers earlier this year but hasn’t had many other impressive showings in league play.
Despite Princeton’s unremarkable league record, a few Tigers have managed to move their way up the Ivy League stat leader board. Sophomore center Zach Finley is shooting 57 percent from the field in league games, which notches him third place in league rankings. He also leads the Tigers in scoring and rebounding with 10.6 points and five rebounds per game.
Sophomore guard Marcus Schroeder has amassed 46 assists this season while committing only 24 turnovers. This nearly two-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio is the best in the Ivy League.
This weekend’s contests against Harvard and Dartmouth are the first of four consecutive away games for the Tigers. Princeton will finish the regular season in March with three games at home.
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