Joe Scott
Encyclopedia
Joe Scott is an American
college basketball
coach and the current head coach at the University of Denver
. He replaced Terry Carroll on March 20, 2007.
Scott had a 38–45 record through three seasons at Princeton. The team finished sixth in the Ivy League
in 2004–05, his first season, with a 6–8 record, before rebounding to a 10–4 mark good for second place in the conference in 2005–06. Scott Greenman, a senior point guard, became Scott's first and only First-Team All-Ivy player in 2006.
The Tigers finished with a 2–12 Ivy record in 2006–07, its first-ever last-place finish in the Ivy League. That season, Princeton scored just 21 points in a loss to Monmouth, tying a then Division I record for fewest points scored in a game since the inception of the three-point line. The Tigers also fell to Carnegie Mellon University
— a Division III opponent. It was the first such defeat in school history.
As a player in the mid-1980s, Scott became schooled in the "Princeton offense
," a methodical system that seeks high-percentage shots by passing until the right opportunity rather than a fast-pace offense with more shots.
Scott came to Princeton after getting his first head coaching job at the United States Air Force Academy
(USAFA), where he accrued a 51–63 record in four seasons from 2000 to 2004. After guiding the Falcons to a 22–7 record and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2003–04, Scott was named the Mountain West Conference
Coach of the Year and was selected as the head coach at Princeton, replacing John Thompson III, who left to coach at Georgetown University
, where Thompson's father was the longtime head coach.
Prior to Air Force, Scott was an assistant coach at Princeton under Pete Carril
and Bill Carmody
. His eight-year tenure (1992–2000) included highlights like the 1996 win over defending champion UCLA in the NCAA Tournament and a no. 7 ranking and another second-round NCAA appearance in 1998. The 1998 team earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest ranking ever for an Ivy League school.
Between his graduation from Princeton in 1987 and his return to the school in 1992 as an assistant coach, Scott earned his law degree at the University of Notre Dame
and worked at a New Jersey law firm before spending one season as an assistant coach at Monmouth University
in 1991–92.
He starred as a point guard
for Toms River High School East
, and currently holds the school record for career basketball points with 1,550.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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....
coach and the current head coach at the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
. He replaced Terry Carroll on March 20, 2007.
Scott had a 38–45 record through three seasons at Princeton. The team finished sixth in 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...
in 2004–05, his first season, with a 6–8 record, before rebounding to a 10–4 mark good for second place in the conference in 2005–06. Scott Greenman, a senior point guard, became Scott's first and only First-Team All-Ivy player in 2006.
The Tigers finished with a 2–12 Ivy record in 2006–07, its first-ever last-place finish in the Ivy League. That season, Princeton scored just 21 points in a loss to Monmouth, tying a then Division I record for fewest points scored in a game since the inception of the three-point line. The Tigers also fell to Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
— a Division III opponent. It was the first such defeat in school history.
As a player in the mid-1980s, Scott became schooled in 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...
," a methodical system that seeks high-percentage shots by passing until the right opportunity rather than a fast-pace offense with more shots.
Scott came to Princeton after getting his first head coaching job at the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
(USAFA), where he accrued a 51–63 record in four seasons from 2000 to 2004. After guiding the Falcons to a 22–7 record and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2003–04, Scott was named the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
Coach of the Year and was selected as the head coach at Princeton, replacing John Thompson III, who left to coach at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, where Thompson's father was the longtime head coach.
Prior to Air Force, Scott was an assistant coach at Princeton under 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 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:...
. His eight-year tenure (1992–2000) included highlights like the 1996 win over defending champion UCLA in the NCAA Tournament and a no. 7 ranking and another second-round NCAA appearance in 1998. The 1998 team earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest ranking ever for an Ivy League school.
Between his graduation from Princeton in 1987 and his return to the school in 1992 as an assistant coach, Scott earned his law degree at the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
and worked at a New Jersey law firm before spending one season as an assistant coach at Monmouth University
Monmouth University
Monmouth University is a private university located in West Long Branch, New Jersey, United States.Founded in 1933 as Monmouth Junior College, it became Monmouth College in 1956, and later Monmouth University in 1995 after receiving its charter....
in 1991–92.
He starred as a point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
for Toms River High School East
Toms River High School East
Toms River High School East is a comprehensive four-year public high school, the third high school built in Toms River, New Jersey, as part of the Toms River Regional Schools. It was built in 1979, after the first and second high schools; Toms River High School South and Toms River High School...
, and currently holds the school record for career basketball points with 1,550.
Head coaching record
Personal life
Scott's wife, Leah (Spraragen), is a 1992 Princeton graduate and was also a point guard, playing for the Tiger women's basketball team. They have two children, Ben and Jack Scott.External links
- "Destined to Coach", The Colorado Springs Gazette, March 16, 2004.
- "Joe Scott: More than just tough talk.", University of Denver magazine, Winter 2007.