1997–98 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 1997–98 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team represented Princeton University
in intercollegiate college basketball
during the 1997–98 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach
was Bill Carmody
and the team co-captains
were Steve Goodrich
and Mitch Henderson
. The team played its home games in the Jadwin Gymnasium
on the University campus in Princeton, New Jersey
, and was the repeat undefeated champion of the Ivy League
, which earned them an invitation to the 64-team 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
where they were seeded fifth in the East Region and advanced to the second round. Over the course of the season, the team achieved the highest winning percentage in the nation (93.1%, 27–2). It also established the current school record of 20 consecutive wins surpassing the 19-game streak achieved twice, including the prior season.
Using the Princeton offense
, the team posted a 27–2 overall record and a 14–0 conference record. The team entered the tournament on a 19-game winning streak. In a March 12, 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament East Regional first round game at the Hartford Civic Center
in , the fifth-seeded Tigers defeated 69–57. Then two days later in the second round the team lost to the 63–56.
During the season, the team entered the fourth Associated Press Top Twenty-five Poll
(for the week of December 2) ranked twenty-fifth and climbed steadily each week until it ended the season ranked eighth. The team also finished the season ranked eighth in the final USAToday/NABC Coaches Poll.
The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selections Goodrich and Gabe Lewullis. Goodrich, who finished second in the conference in scoring
with a 16.1 average in conference games, earned the Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year
award as well as second team Academic All-American recognition from College Sports Information Directors of America
. Goodrich was also a 1998 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American
honorable mention selection by the Associated Press
. With two first team selections and two second team selections (Brian Earl & Mitch Henderson
), this was the fourth team (and third Princeton team) to have four first and second team selections.
The team won the tenth of twelve consecutive national statistical championships in scoring
defense with a 51.4 points allowed average. The team also led the nation in assist-turnover ratio (1.63) and turnovers per game (10.14). The assist-to-turnover ration was a national record that lasted until 2005. The team continues to be a contributor to the national record for combined single-game three-point field goal
shooting percentage
(72.4%, minimum 20 made) stemming from a February 20, 1998 contest in which they made 12 of 15 attempts, while made 9 of 14 attempts. Two-time defending Ivy League field goal percentage
statistical champion Goodrich was unable to repeat a third time, but instead he won the three point field goal shooting percentage title with a 51.4% average.
Home games in CAPS
.
NCAA Tournament
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 1997–98 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 Bill Carmody
Bill Carmody
Bill Carmody is an American men's college basketball coach.Since 2000, he has been the head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.-Early life and education:...
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 Steve Goodrich
Steve Goodrich
Steven Withington Goodrich is a former National Basketball Association player, who played center for the Chicago Bulls and New Jersey Nets in the early 2000s. Although after a remarkable career in college, he was seldom used in the pros...
and Mitch Henderson
Mitch Henderson
Mitchell G. "Mitch" Henderson is an American college basketball coach and the incoming head coach for the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team. He previously served as an assistant for the Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team for eleven seasons under Bill Carmody...
. 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...
, and was the repeat undefeated champion of the 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...
, which earned them an invitation to the 64-team 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
where they were seeded fifth in the East Region and advanced to the second round. Over the course of the season, the team achieved the highest winning percentage in the nation (93.1%, 27–2). It also established the current school record of 20 consecutive wins surpassing the 19-game streak achieved twice, including the prior season.
Using the Princeton offense
Princeton offense
The Princeton offense is an offensive basketball strategy which emphasizes constant motion, passing, back-door cuts, and disciplined teamwork. It was used and perfected at Princeton University by Pete Carril, though its roots may be traced back to Franklin “Cappy” Cappon, who coached Princeton...
, the team posted a 27–2 overall record and a 14–0 conference record. The team entered the tournament on a 19-game winning streak. In a March 12, 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament East Regional first round game at the Hartford Civic Center
Hartford Civic Center
The XL Center, formerly known as the Hartford Civic Center, is a multi-purpose arena and convention center located in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, USA. It is owned by the City of Hartford and operated by Anschutz Entertainment Group under contract with the Connecticut Development Authority...
in , the fifth-seeded Tigers defeated 69–57. Then two days later in the second round the team lost to the 63–56.
During the season, the team entered the fourth Associated Press Top Twenty-five 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...
(for the week of December 2) ranked twenty-fifth and climbed steadily each week until it ended the season ranked eighth. The team also finished the season ranked eighth in the final USAToday/NABC Coaches Poll.
The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selections Goodrich and Gabe Lewullis. Goodrich, who finished second in the conference 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 ....
with a 16.1 average in conference games, earned the 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...
award as well as second team Academic All-American recognition from College Sports Information Directors of America
College Sports Information Directors of America
College Sports Information Directors of Americaor CoSIDA is the organization that has since 1952 bestowed Academic All-American recognition on male and female athletes in Divisions I, II, and III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association —covering all NCAA championship sports—and NAIA...
. Goodrich was also a 1998 NCAA Men's Basketball All-American
1998 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 1998 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The Sporting News and the National...
honorable mention selection by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. With two first team selections and two second team selections (Brian Earl & Mitch Henderson
Mitch Henderson
Mitchell G. "Mitch" Henderson is an American college basketball coach and the incoming head coach for the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team. He previously served as an assistant for the Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team for eleven seasons under Bill Carmody...
), this was the fourth team (and third Princeton team) to have four first and second team selections.
The team won the tenth of twelve consecutive national statistical championships 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 a 51.4 points allowed average. The team also led the nation in assist-turnover ratio (1.63) and turnovers per game (10.14). The assist-to-turnover ration was a national record that lasted until 2005. The team continues to be a contributor to the national record for combined single-game three-point field goal
Three-point field goal
A three-point field goal is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket...
shooting percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
(72.4%, minimum 20 made) stemming from a February 20, 1998 contest in which they made 12 of 15 attempts, while made 9 of 14 attempts. Two-time defending Ivy League field goal percentage
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
statistical champion Goodrich was unable to repeat a third time, but instead he won the three point field goal shooting percentage title with a 51.4% average.
Regular season
The team posted a 27-2 (14-0 Ivy League) record.| Texas! | W | 62-56 | |
| North Carolina State! | W | 38-36 | |
| Rutgers | W | 64-52 | |
| MONMOUTH | W | 61-38 | |
| UNC WILMINGTON | W | 63-50 | |
| LAFAYETTE | W | 73-48 | |
| Bucknell | W | 64-52 | |
| North Carolina | L | 42-50 | |
| Wake Forest@ | W | 69-64 | |
| Drexel# | W | 58-56 | |
| Niagara# | W | 61-52 | |
| MANHATTAN | W | 77-48 | |
| Yale | W | 69-58 | |
| Brown | W | 69-38 | |
| COLLEGE OF N.J. | W | 59-50 | |
| CORNELL | W | 86-61 | |
| COLUMBIA | W | 58-45 | |
| Dartmouth | W | 71-39 | |
| Harvard | W | 76-48 | |
| BROWN | W | 82-58 | |
| YALE | W | 78-48 | |
| PENNSYLVANIA | W | 71-52 | |
| HARVARD | W | 77-55 | |
| DARTMOUTH | W | 74-53 | |
| Columbia | W | 51-37 | |
| Cornell | W | 72-59 | |
| Pennsylvania* | W | 78-72 | |
| Nevada-Las Vegas$ | W | 69-57 | |
| Michigan State$ | L | 56-63 |
- ! = Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, East Rutherford, N.J.
- @ = Jimmy V. Classic, East Rutherford, N.J.
- # = ECAC Holiday Festival, New York, N.Y.
- $ = NCAA East Regional, Hartford, Conn.
Home games in CAPS
NCAA tournament
The team was seeded fifth and advanced to the second round of the 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
.
NCAA Tournament
- March 12, 1998 in Hartford, Conn.: (5) Princeton 69, (12) UNLV 57
- March 14, 1998 in Hartford, Conn.: (4) Michigan State 63, (5) Princeton 56
Awards and honors
- Steve GoodrichSteve GoodrichSteven Withington Goodrich is a former National Basketball Association player, who played center for the Chicago Bulls and New Jersey Nets in the early 2000s. Although after a remarkable career in college, he was seldom used in the pros...
- 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
- Academic All Ivy
- Academic All-AmericaAcademic All-AmericaAcademic All-America program is a student-athlete recognition program...
, second team - 1998 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans1998 NCAA Men's Basketball All-AmericansThe Consensus 1998 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of four major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Associated Press, the USBWA, The Sporting News and the National...
, Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
honorable mention - All-East
- Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year
- Gabe Lewullis
- First Team All-Ivy League
- Mitch HendersonMitch HendersonMitchell G. "Mitch" Henderson is an American college basketball coach and the incoming head coach for the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team. He previously served as an assistant for the Northwestern Wildcats men's basketball team for eleven seasons under Bill Carmody...
- Second Team All-Ivy League
- James Mastaglio
- Honorable Mention All-Ivy League
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...
- 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
- 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...