This supplement serves as an opportunity for the Princeton community to embrace this fervor, whether you’ve been following Princeton basketball for decades or just became a fan this year. In anticipation of next weekend’s Ivy Madness tournaments at Columbia University, these articles are jam-packed with all you need to know about this year’s editions of Tiger basketball, with historical context sprinkled throughout. 

 I hope the passionate fans among you keep these stories as tokens of a very special era of Princeton basketball. Things have never been this good. They may be this good for a little while longer. And they may never be this good again. So enjoy where we are now.

Wilson Conn
Former Senior Editor and Former Head Sports Editor

  READ THE FULL LETTER →

Xaivian Lee is this season's standout star of Princeton's men's basketball team. The sophomore from Toronto, Canada has quickly risen to fame with his exceptional performance on the court, including a triple-double potential game against Harvard that showcased his skill to NBA scouts. With his late growth spurt and under-the-radar high school career due to COVID-19 disruptions in Canada, Lee received just one Division I offer from Princeton. With a viral presence on social media, including TikTok, and significant improvements in his game, Lee has contributed to making Princeton's men's basketball team a force to reckon with, leading to packed games and heightened attention from fans and media alike. The ‘Prince’ spoke with Lee about his rise this season, online stardom, and his road to dominance in the Ivy League.

READ THE STORY→

Under head coach Carla Berube, the Princeton women's basketball team has exhibited exceptional defensive prowess, leading to their dominance of the Ivy League. Berube and her coaching staff focus on sound defense and player development — lessons Berube learned in her playing career at UConn and coaching career at Tufts prior to her arrival to Princeton. Senior forward Ellie Mitchell and guard Kaitlyn Chen have been pivotal to the team's success, contributing significantly to defense and offense respectively. Having taken on a challenging non-conference schedule and harboring aspirations for a run to the NCAA championship, the team's collective talent and bench depth are key factors in their national recognition and postseason potential.

READ THE STORY→

At your leisure

• PUZZLES: Play the latest news quiz to test your knowledge ahead of Ivy Madness next weekend.
• PUZZLES: Play the Crossword, “Tiger Throwdown.”

Kaitlyn Chen '23 has evolved from a standout rookie to the senior offensive leader of the Princeton women's basketball team, known for her exceptional scoring ability and adaptation to the team's defensive focus. With numerous accolades, including Ivy League Player of the Year and USBWA National Player of the Week, Chen has played a pivotal role in the Tigers' success. Chen hails from the Los Angeles area and began playing basketball as a child. Off the court, Chen, a Medical Anthropology major focusing on the impact of socioeconomic status on access to sports, is considering using her fifth year of eligibility to play elsewhere, with interest from top women's basketball programs.

READ THE STORY→

The University's basketball teams' undefeated home record at Jadwin Gymnasium has been buoyed by the electric atmosphere created by the fans, the Princeton University Band, and the cheer team. The women's team has shown a significant improvement in field goal percentages at home compared to away games, while the men's team also sees a slight home advantage. With the Ivy League championship approaching and games moving to Columbia’s Levien Gymnasium, the Tigers will face the challenge of maintaining their momentum without the distinct home-court advantages experienced at Jadwin.

READ THE STORY→