After a disappointing outing in Ithaca, Princeton men’s basketball (8–14 overall, 4–3 Ivy League) beat Columbia (14–7, 3–4) handily, splitting their off-campus games this weekend. The Tigers played both sides of the ball well, combining a defensive focused first-half with season-best shotmaking in the second half to pull away, earning an 80–68 win Saturday night at Levien Gymnasium.
The Tigers struck first when sophomore forward CJ Happy drilled a three-pointer on Princeton’s opening possession, but Columbia quickly found its rhythm. The Lions built an early cushion behind efficient shooting, forcing Princeton to answer with off-ball movement and interior activity.
After a Columbia run to put them up by seven, a backdoor cut for a layup by sophomore Landon Clark seemed to stop the momentum until Columbia guard Miles Franklin answered on the other end with a powerful dunk to keep the Lions in front.
Princeton began to settle in midway through the half. Out of a timeout, junior guard Dalen Davis drove and kicked the ball out to sophomore Jack Stanton in the corner for a three, and two minutes later sophomore Malik Abdullahi finished a powerful one-handed putback to give the Tigers their first lead since the opening basket at 28–27.
The Lions responded with a three to regain the lead, but another backdoor cut by first-year guard Sebastian Whitfield drew two defenders and opened space for junior forward Jacob Huggins to throw down a two-handed putback slam to tie the game at 30 points a piece with under two minutes to go in the first half.
Defensively, Princeton turned the tide with activity at the rim. The Tigers totaled seven blocks, six of which came in the first half. In one sequence, Stanton rotated over to help with a Columbia big, blocking his shot off the backboard. Though the play did not turn into points for Princeton, junior Jackson Hicke came back down on defense with a block of his own, highlighting Princeton’s strength despite not being able to convert. Even after Davis exited with an aggravated ankle injury, Princeton maintained their intensity.
With under one minute in the first half, Hicke shook his defender free from the corner, drove into the lane, and buried a high-arcing fadeaway to keep the Tigers within striking distance after a Lion’s layup.
Two made free throws by Columbia put them up by two again, but the Tigers held the final possession of the half. Hicke sold a perimeter cut before darting to the rim, where Stanton threaded a pass for the tying basket. On the ensuing defensive stand, Hicke swatted a Columbia attempt out of bounds and first-year Jacob Hammond altered the Lions’ final look, sending the teams into the locker room knotted at 34–34.
The second half opened as a back-and-forth affair, but Princeton gradually seized control. Abdullahi ignited a decisive run with a baseline drive that ended in a forceful dunk, capping a stretch that pushed the Tigers into a double digit lead. From there, Princeton’s shooting efficiency created separation. Stanton knocked down his sixth three of the night late in the game, and timely free throws from Hicke and junior Jacob Huggins sealed the outcome.
Stanton led all scorers with 21 points on a career-high six made three-pointers, adding four assists in a balanced offensive performance. Hicke followed with 18 points and six rebounds, while Abdullahi posted 15 points on 75% shooting and grabbed a game-high seven boards. Clark rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points, providing consistent energy on both ends.
Princeton finished the night shooting a season-best 57.1 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from beyond the arc, while holding Columbia to 39.7 percent shooting. The Tigers’ seven blocks underscored a defensive effort that steadied the group after an uneven start.
The Tigers will next head to Philadelphia next weekend to face Penn on Feb. 7, looking to carry their momentum into another pivotal conference matchup.
Xavier Latimer is a Sports contributor for the 'Prince.'
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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