After a resilient showing on Saturday at No. 24 Kansas (3–2, 0–0 Big 12), the Princeton Tigers (2–3, 0–0 Ivy League) faced another tall task in New Rochelle, N.Y. Matched up against the undefeated Iona Gaels (4–0, 0–0 MAAC), the Tigers faced a team on with an early wave of momentum — but also a squad that fell to the Orange and Black a year ago in Jadwin Gym.
With a Tigers squad that just played their fourth game in a week’s span, the Gaels jumped out to a big early lead that proved to be insurmountable for Princeton.
It was the Tigers who drew first blood on Tuesday night, with a quick layup from sophomore forward CJ Happy. From there, though, it was all Iona. In a matter of minutes, the Gaels went on a 7–0 run, foreshadowing what the rest of the first half would look like and immediately putting the Tigers on their heels. While Princeton mostly played clean basketball in the early stages of the game, the shots simply weren’t falling.
Although Iona’s field goal percentage was also far from perfect, they found their range much earlier than the Tigers and developed a sizable lead. Seven minutes into the game, Iona led 14–7, and in a blur, the Gaels outscored Princeton, reaching 29–9 just past the midpoint of the opening frame.
The keys to their success were simple: By forcing Princeton into difficult shots, taking control of the glass and securing the rebounds on those misses, and getting easy baskets on transition run-outs, the Gaels widened their lead.
Having proved resilient last Saturday, Princeton didn’t shy away. The shots began to fall, led by junior guard Dalen Davis and sophomore forward Malik Abdullahi. Sophomore guard Jack Stanton also joined in with a three-pointer, while first-year guard/forward Sebastian Whitfield made meaningful contributions off the bench for a promising early-career performance.
While Princeton looked stronger offensively, Iona’s ability to score didn’t falter, either. The Gaels matched the Tigers, answering every big Princeton shot with one of their own, deflating any hopes of a notable Orange and Black run before halftime.
With a contested three-pointer from the left wing, the Gaels stretched their lead even further and went up 46–19, forcing Head Coach Mitch Henderson ’98 to call his third timeout. The Gaels were well on their way to a fourth straight victory to begin their 2025–26 campaign.
Once again, Princeton fought back, with veterans Davis and junior guard Jackson Hicke each finding energy. They scored the last eight points of the half and cut the Iona lead to 48–27 as both teams headed to the locker room.
The opening 20 minutes were far from ideal for the Tigers. The Gaels shot about 30 percent better from the field than Princeton, making just under half of the threes they attempted and out-rebounding the Orange and Black 22–15. For Princeton to succeed in the second half and reduce the deficit, the Tigers would need to force turnovers and find the basket.
But the Gaels undermined any chance of a Princeton comeback. Much like the first half, Iona went on a rapid 7–0 spurt and took a 55–27 lead. While the Tigers woke up and played much better basketball from this point on, Iona’s runs were too much to handle.
It was Hicke and Davis once again, each scoring from beyond the arc, keeping the Tigers alive. For the next few minutes, Davis led the charge, controlling the tempo and generating solid ball movement while running up the score.
With both Abdullahi and junior forward Jacob Huggins now firmly cemented in the game, scoring layups and impressive dunks, Princeton posed a serious offensive threat.
“The keys to our run in the second half were to pick up our physicality while also playing like us and at our pace,” Abdullahi told The Daily Princetonian. “Transition is something we’ve been working on and what to do … Being able to get out and run leads to easy baskets for us.”
The score was now 60–42, and with a Tiger squad that found their path to success, it was all about stopping Iona’s offense to further capitalize on their own attack. But, mirroring their attempts earlier in the game, Princeton’s comeback efforts just weren’t enough. Iona always found an answer, never allowing the Tigers to spark a run off of a shot. And, with continued success from beyond the arc and enough defense to stymie Princeton, the Gaels came out victorious on Tuesday night with an 89–69 win.
“The lessons we learned after today is when we take care of the ball and value every possession while being physical and disciplined on the defensive end it puts us in a great position in the game,” Abdullahi told the ‘Prince’ post-game. “Staying true to those things going forward is crucial.”
The Orange and Black will continue their early season gauntlet of a schedule as they return to Jadwin Gym to face a tricky Northeastern squad (2–2, 0–0 CAA) on Thursday. The Huskies, who will be looking for revenge after a loss to Princeton last season, already have big wins this year against conference foe Harvard (4–2, 0–0 Ivy League) and a Colgate team (2–3, 0–0 Patriot League) that has made four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
Lucas Nor is a Sports staff writer for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
Read More
Eisgruber’s most recent stop on his book tour: the art museum
Oliver WuUniversity President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 spoke about defending free speech on college campuses during a book talk at Princeton University Art Museum’s Grand Hall on Wednesday.
University President Christopher Eisgruber ’83 spoke about defending free speech on college campuses during a book talk at Princeton University Art Museum’s Grand Hall on Wednesday.
Touching history in the Princeton University Numismatic Collection
Yi (Chris) XinPrinceton University’s Numismatic Collection is a way to come into direct contact with the past. In addition to students working with and learning through the collection in-person, the coins are becoming increasingly accessible to people around the world through continuous digitization efforts.
Princeton University’s Numismatic Collection is a way to come into direct contact with the past. In addition to students working with and learning through the collection in-person, the coins are becoming increasingly accessible to people around the world through continuous digitization efforts.
By the numbers: Men’s soccer makes history
Harrison BlankThis week in By the Numbers, men’s soccer has soared to new heights, setting program and Ivy League records. Their defense stands atop the national rankings across several metrics.
This week in By the Numbers, men’s soccer has soared to new heights, setting program and Ivy League records. Their defense stands atop the national rankings across several metrics.