What A Saturday Afternoon In Jadwin

The 2023 Sweet 16 banner for the Princeton men's basketball team was officially unfurled Saturday afternoon.

Then the current Tigers went out and showed that the magic didn't run out when the run last March ended. How else to explain Princeton's wildly entertaining 70-69 win over Furman at Jadwin Gym Saturday afternoon. 

Matt Allocco, once again, made the biggest shot of the day, a three-pointer with 4.2 seconds left that gave the Tigers the winning points. Those would be the only 4.2 seconds of the second half in which Princeton had the lead.

The win improved Princeton to 8-0 for the first time since 1966-67. Gary Walters, the point guard on that 1966-67 team, told TB that he didn't realize that he had been part of the last 8-0 team. 

The final play began with a missed layup from Xaivian Lee that Caden Pierce attacked, as he always does, coming down with the ball in traffic, jumping up to stay inbounds and finding Allocco on the perimeter. Allocco then canned his three-pointer for the win.

For the second time this week, Princeton won a game in which it trailed by 11 in the second half, after doing likewise against Bucknell Wednesday night. Against the Bison, Princeton was down by 11 4:49 into the second half. At least there was a lot of time left.

Against Furman, Princeton was down 11 with just 4:10 to play. Maybe the Tigers like a challenge? 

Furman, who beat Virginia in the opening round of last year's NCAA tournament, got a layup from Ben Vanderwal to make it 65-54 game with 4:10 to play. To that point, there was really no reason to suspect that Princeton was about to erupt. It looked all the world like it was going to be one of those days where the three-pointers don't fall (4 for 31 for the day) and you tip your hat to the good team that you played and move on.

And then? It started slowly and happened quickly.

Furman committed a foul to bring the game to the under-four media timeout. Allocco hit two foul shots out of the timeout, but it was still a nine-point game.

This is what Furman's next eight possessions produced:

* missed shot plus a foul that put Princeton on the line on the other end, where Pierce made both, getting it to 65-58
* two made foul shots: 67-58 Furman, 3:18 left
* turnover, Princeton couldn't convert
* foul, Xavian Lee with two made foul shots, 67-60, 2:40 left
* turnover, Pierce basket, 67-62, 2:29 left
* turnover, Lee layup, 67-64, 2:04 left
* turnover, Pierce three, tied 67-67 with 1:38 left
* made basket, 69-67 with 1:23 left

Furman's next two possessions were turnovers again. Princeton then missed five straight shots, four threes and the Lee layup attempt, which led to the Pierce rebound.

Allocco then complete drilled his three, after Princeton had made 3 of its first 30. Allocco had been 0 for 4. You go from an 0 for 4 day to hitting the game-winning three with four seconds to play? 

That's a gutsy win by a gutsy team that is playing with extraordinary confidence. Pierce had a 22-point, 15-rebound day. Who has those numbers consistently?

Lee had 24 more points, giving him 152 for the first eight games. A year ago, as a freshman, Lee had 152 points for the season.

And speaking of a year ago, Princeton honored its Sweet 16 run before the game, complete with a banner unveiling. Perhaps what's been going on so far is a product of that experience, even without the impact players who graduated, one of whom is averaging nearly 16 a game in the G-League and another who had 20 points in Northwestern's win over No. 1 Purdue this week.

Next up for Princeton is a home game Tuesday against Drexel. 

What will the Tigers do for an encore?