Men's Basketball: Princeton brings momentum to Boston

The men’s basketball team will travel to Boston this weekend, taking on Northeastern in what will be the team’s fourth straight away game. The Tigers (5-6) are coming off of a dramatic come-from-behind overtime victory over Rider and are seeking their fifth win in six games. Northeastern (3-4), on the other hand, is coming off of its third straight double-digit loss.

“It was more a sense of relief than anything else,” junior forward Mack Darrow said of his game-winning three-pointer against Rider. “It got [junior forward] Ian Hummer to notice me, though, which has always been a dream of mine.”

“We escaped with one, and we know that,” Darrow continued. “The defense in the second half was phenomenal, though, which should give us some momentum heading into the next stretch of games.”

A win on Sunday would be great for the Tigers, since it would put the team back at .500 and indicate the Tigers are getting back on track after a slow start.

“Defense, defense, defense,” said sophomore guard T.J. Bray on what the team must do to beat Northeastern. “It’s always tough to win on the road, but defense is definitely a key for us in every game. No matter who we’re playing, if we can stop teams offensively, it makes their lives much more difficult and gives us a shot to win the game.”

“The start has to be a lot better,” Darrow said. “The focus wasn’t where it needed to be against Rider. I’m always confident in this group of guys. I think we have some of the most competitive guys that I’ve ever been around on this particular team. It will be a great test on the road, but it is one that we should be ready for if we prepare the right way.”

This game marks the midway point of the team’s seven-game road trip and is part of a 13-game stretch in which 12 will be played away from Jadwin Gymnasium.

“To be honest, this road trip really hasn’t been that bad,” Bray said. “The first three road games have all been one-day trips, so we haven’t had to deal with too much traveling distance-wise. These next couple games away from the New Jersey area should be good for us, though; I think it will really test our mental toughness.”

“I think the team just needs to rely on one another,” said Hummer, who ranks second in the Ivy League with 17.8 points per game. “Being that the newer guys have not experienced a road trip like this before, it is the senior and juniors that must pick them up if they start to slip. Don’t get me wrong; this road trip will be hard on all of us, but if we take it one game at a time, I think we will be just fine.”

Hummer has been a huge part of Princeton’s recent surge. The forward not only tops the team in scoring, but he is the team’s leader in blocks, steals and rebounds and ranks second in assists. Hummer has led Princeton in scoring in every game except one this season.

“I think my level of play is a result of having good teammates — plain and simple,” Hummer said. “If you have guys on the team that can play at a high level, it makes people better, and many of my stats are just the result of having teammates who are capable players. We have great guards who can handle the ball and great post players who can score and pass. This just makes my life easier, because we can hit you from many different areas inside and out, and that opens up a lot for my teammates and me.”

Bray, also a major contributor, has had a breakout sophomore season, leading the team in assists and ranking second in steals and rebounds.

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“My teammates have really been helping me out there,” Bray said. “When you know you have help on defense behind you, you can be a little more aggressive with steals, and when you have guys knocking down shots, assists come a lot easier. Our big men have been doing a good job boxing out this year, which frees me up a lot of times to grab rebounds. It’s definitely been a team effort out there.”

Hummer and Bray will certainly be an important part of Princeton’s game plan as the Tigers try to even their season record against Northeastern on Sunday.