The Princeton Tigers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Princeton University. The school competes in the Ivy League in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Tigers play home basketball games at the Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton, New Jersey, on the university campus. Princeton has appeared in 25 NCAA tournaments, most recently in 2023. In 1965, the Tigers made the NCAA Final Four, with Bill Bradley being named the Most Outstanding Player. The team is currently coached by former player Mitch Henderson.
The team is known for the Princeton offense strategy, perfected under the tenure of former head coach Pete Carril, who coached the team from 1967 to 1996. The Princeton offense has resulted in Princeton leading the nation in scoring defense 20 times since 1976, including every year from 1989 to 2000. As of 2023, the Tigers have amassed 1803 victories, 25 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament appearances (including four consecutive appearances between 1989 and 1992), and 30 Ivy League regular season titles. Their main Ivy League rivalry is with Penn.
Eight different Tigers have earned 12 All-American recognitions. Bill Bradley is the only three-time honoree. Numerous Tigers have played professional basketball. The most recent Tiger NBAer is Tosan Evbuomwan. Geoff Petrie was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1971, while Brian Taylor earned the same honor in the American Basketball Association in 1973. Two of the three Ivy Leaguers to have played in the Olympic Games were Tigers. Four of the eight NBA and ABA championships earned by Ivy League players have been earned by Tigers. Three of the five highest NBA career point totals by Ivy League players were by Tigers. Five of the ten Ivy League players selected among the top 25 overall selections in the NBA draft were Tigers.
Coaches
Carril holds the Ivy League record for most career seasons, championships, and wins. Bill Carmody holds the career winning percentage record.
Coaching Records
Name Years Wins Losses Winning % Mowbray Forney 1900–01 7 5 0.583 Augustus W. Enderbrock 1901–02 10 10 0.500 William Roper 1902–03 8 7 0.533 William McCoy 1903–04 10 5 0.667 Frederick Cooper 1904–06 13 15 0.464 William Kelleher 1906–07 4 10 0.286 C.F. Kogel 1907–08 7 10 0.412 Harry F. Shorter 1908–11 19 28 0.404 Harry Hough 1911–12 8 8 0.500 Frederick Leuhring 1912–20 100 43 0.699 Lou Sugarman 1920–21 11 4 0.733 James Hynson 1921 3 5 0.375 Hill Zahn 1921–23 36 9 0.800 Albert Wittmer 1923–32 115 86 0.572 Herbert (Fritz) Crisler 1932–34 32 11 0.744 John Jefferies 1934–35 6 14 0.300 Ken Fairman 1935–38 25 38 0.397 Franklin (Cappy) Cappon 1938–43 * 52 37 0.584 William Logan 1943–45 20 20 0.500 Leonard Hattinger 1945 5 8 0.385 Wes Fesler 1945–46 7 12 0.368 Franklin (Cappy) Cappon 1946–61 * 198 144 0.579 Jake McCandless 1961–62 22 16 0.579 Butch van Breda Kolff 1962–67 103 31 0.769 Pete Carril 1967–1996 514 261 0.663 Bill Carmody 1996–2000 92 25 0.787 John Thompson 2000–2004 68 42 0.618 Joe Scott 2004–2007 38 45 0.458 Sydney Johnson 2007–201166 53 0.555 Mitch Henderson 2011–present147 840.636
Arenas Princeton originally played its home games at University Gymnasium until it burned down in 1944. Hobey Baker Memorial Rink served as the interim home court for the 1945–46 and 1946–47 seasons until Dillon Gymnasium was built. The 6,800-seat Jadwin Gymnasium hosted the Tigers for the first time on January 25, 1969, against the Penn Quakers men's basketball team. It continues to be the team's home court.
Name University Gymnasium (1901–44) Hobey Baker Memorial Rink (1945–47) Dillon Gymnasium (1947–69) Jadwin Gymnasium (1969–present)
Ivy League The Tigers have played against their Ivy League rivals for over a century.
Opponent First Game Last Game W L PCT. Home Away Neutral 1908 2018 106 28 62–6 44–22 — 1901 2018 153 86 83–34 68–51 2–1 1902 2018 147 81 87–27 59–52 1–2 1905 2018 152 63 89–17 62-42 1–4 1901 2018 132 48 77-14 54–34 1–0 1903 2018 113 126 62–52 48-70 3–4 1902 2018 150 89 88–28 59–60 3–1
Through 2017–2018 season
Awards and honors
Bill Bradley has won numerous distinctions as a Princeton Tiger. He is the team's only Rhodes Scholar, and he is the only player to earn NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player. Other honors earned by Tiger basketball players include:
All-Americas Year Name 1905 Oliver deGray Vanderbilt 1913 Hamilton Salmon 1916 Cyril Haas 1917 Cyril Haas 1922 Arthur Loeb 1923 Arthur Loeb 1926 Carl Loeb 1963 Bill Bradley 1964 Bill Bradley 1965 Bill Bradley 1972 Brian Taylor 1998 Steve Goodrich 2013 Ian Hummer
Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Year Name 1976 Armond Hill 1977 Frank Sowinski 1982 Craig Robinson 1983 Craig Robinson 1989 Bob Scrabis 1990 Kit Mueller 1991 Kit Mueller 1992 Sean Jackson 1997 Sydney Johnson 1998 Steve Goodrich 1999 Brian Earl 2013 Ian Hummer2017 Spencer Weisz2024 Caden Pierce
Ivy League Rookie of the Year Year Name 1971 Brian Taylor 1977 Bob Roma 1992 Rick Hielscher 1999 Chris Young 2001 Konrad Wysocki 2014 Spencer Weisz2023Caden Pierce
Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Year Name 2011 Kareem Maddox2017Myles Stephens
Ivy League Coach of the Year YearName2017Mitch Henderson
Academic All-Americas Year Name Designation 1965 Bill Bradley First Team 1982 Gordon Enderle Honorable Mention 1988 Bill Bradley Hall of Fame 1990 Kit Mueller Third Team 1991 Kit Mueller First Team 1998 Steve Goodrich Second Team
Olympians YearNameDesignation 1964 Bill Bradley United States 2008 Konrad Wysocki Germany 2024Kareem Maddox United States Maddox appeared in the 3x3 basketball competition.
College Basketball Hall of Fame YearNameDesignation 1999 Bill Bradley Player 1997 Pete Carril Coach
Basketball Hall of Fame YearNameDesignation 1983 Bill Bradley Player 1997 Pete Carril Coach
Professional basketball Princeton NBA players were Bud Palmer, Willem van Breda Kolff, Bradley, Geoff Petrie, John Hummer, Taylor, Ted Manakas, Armond Hill, Mike Kearns and Steve Goodrich.
Tosan Evbuomwan is the only active Princeton NBA player.
David Blatt, now an Israeli-American, played for Princeton in 1977–81 and then became a professional basketball player and subsequently a coach (most recently, for the Cleveland Cavaliers).
NBA/ABA Championships Year Name Designation 1970 New York Knicks Bill Bradley 1970 Finals 1973 New York Knicks Bill Bradley 1973 Finals 1974 New York Nets Brian Taylor 1974 Finals 1976 New York Nets Brian Taylor 1976 Finals
NBA Experience SchoolNBA Alumni NBA GamesLast Played 10 2,668 2001–02 12 2,176 2002–03 7 1,748 1994–95 5 1,068 1978–79 3 976 2002–03 3 176 2011–12() 3 118 2011–12() 3 63 1953–54
NBA draft Name Year Team SelectionBernie Adams1950PhiladelphiaCarl Belz1959Philadelphia9th, 62Reggie Bird1972Atlanta4th rd, 55Bill Bradley1965N.Y. Knicksbefore 1st rd, territoryJim Brangan1960Philadelphia6th, 47Pete Campbell1962Chicago10th rd, 79John Haarlow1968N.Y. Knicks13th rd, 177Barnes Hauptfuhrer1976Houston3rd rd, 43Joe Heiser1968Baltimore6th rd, 68Armond Hill1976Atlanta1st rd, 9Ed Hummer1967Boston6th rd, 64John Hummer1970Buffalo1st rd, 15Mike Kearns1951PhiladelphiaTed Manakas1973Atlanta3rd rd, 36Kevin Mullin1984Boston4th rd, 93Geoff Petrie1970Portland1st rd, 8thAndy Rimol1974Buffalo10th rd, 170Craig Robinson1983Philadelphia4th rd, 93Bob Roma1979Kansas City6th rd, 126Bill Ryan1984N.J. Nets9th rd, 200Rich Simkus1983N.J. Nets10th rd, 222Frank Sowinski1978N.J. Nets9th rd, 171Brian Taylor1972Seattle2nd rd, 23Chris Thomforde1969N.Y. Knicks7th rd, 96Tim van Blommesteyn1975N.Y. Knicks9th rd, 153
Records Bradley continues to hold the single-game, single-season, and career total and average points Ivy League records. In addition, he holds the Ivy records for single-game, single-season, and career field goals made as well as single-season, and career free throws made. Other Tiger Ivy League record holders include Howard Levy (1982–85, career field goal percentage), Alan Williams (1986–87, single-season field goal percentage), Brian Earl (1995–99, career three-point field goals made), Spencer Gloger (vs- Ala.-Birmingham, December 18, 1999, single-game three-point field goals made), Sydney Johnson (-vs- Columbia & Cornell, Feb 28 – March 1, 1997, consecutive three-point field goals made; single-game three-point field goals made with no misses), Dave Orlandini (1986–88, career three-point field goal percentage; 1987–88 single-season three-point field goal percentage).
National records Combined single-game Three-point field goal field goal percentage (minimum 20 made): 72.4%—Princeton (12 of 15) vs. Brown (9 of 14), February 20, 1998 Combined single-game points (Since 1986, which is either the three-point shot or shot clock era): 62—Monmouth (41) vs. Princeton (21), December 14, 2005 Single-season three-point field goal percentage (Min. 200 made): 49.2%—Princeton, 1988 (211 of 429) Longest annual rivalry Princeton–Yale: Since 1902 (tied with Columbia–Yale, Princeton–Penn is second since 1903)
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament records Free throws made in 100% effort: Bradley (16 vs. St. Joseph's, 1st R, November 3, 1963) Single-game points scored in a final four: Bradley 58 Princeton vs. Wichita St., N3d, 3-20- 1965 Single-game field goals made (final four): Bradley 22 Princeton vs. Wichita St., N3d, 3-20- 1965 Victory margin (final four): 36 Princeton (118) vs. Wichita St. (82), N3d, March 20, 1965 Points in a half, team (final four): 65, Princeton vs. Wichita St., N3d, March 20, 1965 (2d half, 2nd team to do so) Single-year two-game points scored (final four): 87, Bill Bradley, Princeton, 1965 Single-year two-game field goals made (final four): 34, Bill Bradley, Princeton, 1965
Selected former records NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament records Single-game free throw percentage (final four, minimum 10 made): 93.3% (14–15), Bradley, Princeton vs. Wichita St., N3d, March 25, 1965 (broken March 23, 1972) Points in a half, both teams (final four): 108, Princeton (65) vs. Wichita St. (43), N3d, March 20, 1965 (2d) (broken March 25, 1972) Single-year two-game free throw percentage (final four, minimum 12 made): 95.0% (19–20), Bill Bradley, Princeton, 1965 (broken 1972) Single-year two-game field goals made (final four): 78, Princeton, 1965 (broken 1977)
Former national records Fewest points allowed (Since 1986): 28–66 Dartmouth, February 10, 1990 (broken on January 11, 1991) Fewest points allowed (Since 1986): 27–55 Yale, January 11, 1991 (broken on March 2, 1992) Fewest combined points (Since 1986): 76 (43–33) vs. Colgate, November 30, 1988 (broken on December 16, 1989) Single-season team defense (Since 1965): 52.9, 1976 (broken 1977) Single-season team defense (Since 1965): 51.7, 1977 (broken 1980) Single-season team assists-turnover ratio (Since 1993): 1.63 (486:302), 1998 (broken 2005) Consecutive home victories: Princeton over Brown 52, 1929–2002 (broken by North Carolina over Clemson 54 and active through 2009)
National statistical champions Field goal percentage: 70.3% Alan Williams 163 of 232, 1987 Three-point field goal percentage: 53.4% Matt Lapin 71 of 133, 1990 Free throw percentage: 88.6% Bill Bradley, 273 of 308, 1965 Free throw percentage: 90.0% Joe Heiser, 117 of 130, 1968 Won-loss percentage: 93.1% team, 27 of 29, 1998 Scoring defense: 52.9, 1976; 51.7, 1977; 55.8, 1979; 52.0, 1983; 50.1, 1984; 55.0, 1986; 53.0, 1989; 51.0, 1990; 48.9, 1991; 48.2, 1992; 54.7, 1993; 52.3, 1994; 57.7, 1995; 51.7, 1996; 53.4, 1997; 51.4, 1998; 52.7, 1999; 54.6, 2000; 53.3, 2007; 53.3, 2010. Field goal percentage: 54.1% team, 601 of 1111, 1987 Three-point field goals/game: 8.12 team, 1988 Three-point field percentage: 49.2 team, 1988, 45.2 team, 1990 Assists-turnover ratio: 1.63 team (486:302), 1998 Fewest turnover/game: 10.14 team (294/29), 1998