1975–76 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 1975–76 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team represented Princeton University
in intercollegiate college basketball
during the 1975–76 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach
was Pete Carril
and the team co-captains
were Armond Hill and Michael Steuerer. The team played its home games in the Jadwin Gymnasium
on the university campus in Princeton, New Jersey
. It was the undefeated Ivy League
and earned birth in the 32-team 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
.
The team posted a 22–5 overall record and a 14–0 conference record. The team lost its March 13, 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament East Regional first round game against the 54–53 at the Providence Civic Center in .
During the season, the team spent two weeks of the seventeen-week season ranked in the Associated Press Top Twenty Poll
, peaking at number fifteen and ending the season unranked. However, the team finished the season ranked tied at number nineteen in the final UPI Coaches' Poll. The team was the first of nineteen Princeton teams to win the national statistical championship in scoring
defense with an average of 52.9 points allowed. That was an NCAA record (since 1965) that the team would break the following season. Ilan Ramati posted seven blocked shots against on January 6, 1976, which established an Ivy League record that would stand until Chris Dudley
had nine on February 14, 1987. It remains a league record for non-conference games. In the same game, Frank Sowinski made all twelve of his free throw
s to find his way into the Ivy League's record books although short of Bill Bradley
's perfect 16 free throw night and the Ivy League record of 21. Michael Steurer had eight steals
against on February 6, 1976, which established an Ivy League record that would stand until March 5, 1983.
The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selection Armond Hill, who was named Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year
, and by fellow first team selection Barnes Hauptfuhrer. Hill was selected in the 1976 NBA Draft
with the 9th overall selection in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks
, while Hauptfuhrer was selected with the 43rd overall selection in the third round by the Houston Rockets
. Hill repeated as the free throw percentage statistical champion with a 84.8% average. He also surpassed Tim van Blommesteyn's Ivy League single-season steals
record set the prior season by one with 73, establishing a record that would last twenty-four years.
Home games in CAPS
.
.
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in intercollegiate college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
during the 1975–76 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
was Pete Carril
Pete Carril
Peter J. "Pete" Carril is a former collegiate head coach and former NBA assistant with the Sacramento Kings.-Early years:...
and the team co-captains
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
were Armond Hill and Michael Steuerer. The team played its home games in the Jadwin Gymnasium
Jadwin Gymnasium
The L. Stockwell Jadwin Gymnasium is a 6,854-seat multi-purpose arena in Princeton, New Jersey. The arena opened in 1969. It is home to the Princeton University Tigers basketball team...
on the university campus in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
. It was the undefeated Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
and earned birth in the 32-team 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1976, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
.
The team posted a 22–5 overall record and a 14–0 conference record. The team lost its March 13, 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament East Regional first round game against the 54–53 at the Providence Civic Center in .
During the season, the team spent two weeks of the seventeen-week season ranked in the Associated Press Top Twenty Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, peaking at number fifteen and ending the season unranked. However, the team finished the season ranked tied at number nineteen in the final UPI Coaches' Poll. The team was the first of nineteen Princeton teams to win the national statistical championship in scoring
Point (basketball)
Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
defense with an average of 52.9 points allowed. That was an NCAA record (since 1965) that the team would break the following season. Ilan Ramati posted seven blocked shots against on January 6, 1976, which established an Ivy League record that would stand until Chris Dudley
Chris Dudley
Christen Guilford "Chris" Dudley is a retired American basketball player who played 16 years and 886 games in the NBA for five different teams. A journeyman center, he was known primarily for his defensive skill as a rebounder and shot blocker...
had nine on February 14, 1987. It remains a league record for non-conference games. In the same game, Frank Sowinski made all twelve of his free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s to find his way into the Ivy League's record books although short of Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley
William Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
's perfect 16 free throw night and the Ivy League record of 21. Michael Steurer had eight steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
against on February 6, 1976, which established an Ivy League record that would stand until March 5, 1983.
The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selection Armond Hill, who was named Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year
The Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the Ivy League's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1974–75 season. There have been five players honored on two occasions: Craig Robinson, Kit Mueller, Jerome Allen, Ugonna Onyekwe and...
, and by fellow first team selection Barnes Hauptfuhrer. Hill was selected in the 1976 NBA Draft
1976 NBA Draft
The 1976 NBA Draft was the 30th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 8, 1976 before the 1976–77 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
with the 9th overall selection in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
, while Hauptfuhrer was selected with the 43rd overall selection in the third round by the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. Hill repeated as the free throw percentage statistical champion with a 84.8% average. He also surpassed Tim van Blommesteyn's Ivy League single-season steals
Steal (basketball)
In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player...
record set the prior season by one with 73, establishing a record that would last twenty-four years.
Regular season
The team posted a 22–5 (14–0 Ivy League) record.| DREXEL | W | 67–48 | |
| Navy | W | 60–59 | |
| LAFAYETTE | W | 84–65 | |
| VILLANOVA | L | 49–51 | |
| Miami (Ohio) ! | L | 61–66 | |
| Southern Illinois ! | W | 69–58 | |
| Alabama @ | W | 61–59 | |
| Maryland @ | L | 59–66 | |
| PENNSYLVANIA | W | 63–39 | |
| WILLIAM & MARY | W | 64–43 | |
| Harvard | W | 62–57 | |
| Dartmouth | W | 59–38 | |
| St. Joseph’s | W | 56–46 | |
| ST. JOHN’S | W | *58–55 | |
| Pennsylvania | W | 69–52 | |
| RUTGERS | L | 62–75 | |
| COLUMBIA | W | 69–53 | |
| CORNELL | W | 53–35 | |
| Brown | W | 56–47 | |
| Yale | W | 49–48 | |
| DARTMOUTH | W | 74–51 | |
| HARVARD | W | 69–48 | |
| YALE | W | 68–53 | |
| BROWN | W | 70–59 | |
| Cornell | W | 72–58 | |
| Columbia | W | 46–44 | |
| Rutgers # | L | 53–54 |
- ! = Michigan Invitational at Ann Arbor, Mich.
- @ = Maryland Invitational at College Park, Md.
- # = NCAA first round at Providence, R.I.
Home games in CAPS
NCAA tournament
The team won the 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1976, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
.
- 3/13/76 in Providence, R.I.: Rutgers 54, Princeton 53
Awards and honors
- Armond Hill
- Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the YearIvy League Men's Basketball Player of the YearThe Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the Ivy League's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1974–75 season. There have been five players honored on two occasions: Craig Robinson, Kit Mueller, Jerome Allen, Ugonna Onyekwe and...
- First Team All-Ivy League
- All-East
- Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year
- Barnes Hauptfuhrer
- First Team All-Ivy League
- Bob Slaughter
- Second Team All-Ivy League
Team players drafted into the NBA
Three players from this team were selected in the NBA DraftNBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
.
| Year | Round | Pick | Player | NBA Club |
| 1976 1976 NBA Draft The 1976 NBA Draft was the 30th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 8, 1976 before the 1976–77 season. In this draft, 18 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players... |
1 | 9 | Armond Hill | Atlanta Hawks Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:... |
| 1976 | 3 | 10 | Barnes Hauptfuhrer | Houston Rockets Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being... |
| 1978 1978 NBA Draft The 1978 NBA Draft was the 32nd annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on June 9, 1978, before the 1978–79 season. In this draft, 22 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players... |
9 | 1 | Frank Sowinski | New Jersey Nets New Jersey Nets The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
See also
- Princeton Tigers men's basketballPrinceton Tigers men's basketballThe 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 . The Tigers play home basketball games at the Jadwin Gymnasium in...
- 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1976 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 32 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1976, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
- NCAA Men's Division I Tournament bids by schoolNCAA Men's Division I Tournament bids by schoolThis is a list of NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament bids by school, as of 2011. Schools whose names are italicized are no longer in Division I, and can no longer be included in the tournament....
- NCAA Men's Division I Tournament bids by school and conference
- NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament all-time team recordsNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament all-time team recordsThis is a list of NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament all-time records, as of 2010. Schools whose names are italicized are no longer in Division I, and can no longer be included in the tournament...