1968–69 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 1968–69 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team represented the Princeton University
in intercollegiate college basketball
during the 1968–69 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. The head coach
was Pete Carril
and the team captain
was Christopher Thomforde. The team played its home games in the Dillon Gymnasium on the university campus before the January 25, 1969 opening of Jadwin Gymnasium
on the university campus in Princeton, New Jersey
. The team was the champion of the Ivy League
, which earned them an invitation to the 25-team 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
. The team was Princeton's first undefeated Ivy League champion, and earned Carril his first of eleven NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament invitations. The team helped Princeton end the decade with a 72.6 winning percentage (188–71), which was the tenth best in the nation.
During the regular season, the team played a few of the teams that would eventually participate in the 25-team NCAA tournament: they opened their season against the and later played two of the eventual final four
participants (the UCLA Bruins and ) in the ECAC Holiday Classic at Madison Square Garden
in New York City
in late December 1968. The team posted a 19–7 overall record and a 14–0 conference record. The team entered the tournament riding an eleven-game winning streak and having won fifteen of their last sixteen games, but they lost their March 8, 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament East Regional first-round game against the 72–63 at Reynolds Coliseum
in .
Both John Hummer
and Geoff Petrie
were selected to the All-Ivy League first team. Petrie, who led the conference in scoring
with a 23.9 average in conference games, was also an All-East selection. Thomforde was selected in the 1969 NBA Draft
by the New York Knicks
with the 96th overall selection in the 7th round. Hummer led the conference in field goal percentage
with 55.4%. Petrie and Hummer would become the only Tiger teammates to both be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft
(in the same draft no less) when they were selected eighth and fifteenth overall in the 1970 NBA Draft
by the Portland Trail Blazers
and the Buffalo Braves
. The two were part of a trio of 1970 NBA first-round draftees from the Ivy League that included number thirteen selection Jim McMillian
of Columbia
. Hummer was the first NBA draft pick by the expansion Buffalo Braves. Petrie would share the 1971 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
with Dave Cowens
.
Brian Taylor
was selected in the 1972 NBA Draft
by the Seattle SuperSonics
with the 23rd overall selection in the second round while Reggie Bird was selected by the Atlanta Hawks
with the 55th overall selection in the fourth round.
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 1968–69 NCAA University Division 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 captain
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...
was Christopher Thomforde. The team played its home games in the Dillon Gymnasium on the university campus before the January 25, 1969 opening of 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...
. The team was the 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 25-team 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1969, and ended with the championship game on March 22 in Louisville, Kentucky...
. The team was Princeton's first undefeated Ivy League champion, and earned Carril his first of eleven NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament invitations. The team helped Princeton end the decade with a 72.6 winning percentage (188–71), which was the tenth best in the nation.
During the regular season, the team played a few of the teams that would eventually participate in the 25-team NCAA tournament: they opened their season against the and later played two of the eventual final four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
participants (the UCLA Bruins and ) in the ECAC Holiday Classic at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in late December 1968. The team posted a 19–7 overall record and a 14–0 conference record. The team entered the tournament riding an eleven-game winning streak and having won fifteen of their last sixteen games, but they lost their March 8, 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament East Regional first-round game against the 72–63 at Reynolds Coliseum
Reynolds Coliseum
William Neal Reynolds Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina on the North Carolina State University campus. The arena was built to host a variety of events, including agricultural expositions and NC State basketball games...
in .
Both John Hummer
John Hummer
John Hummer is a venture capitalist and retired professional basketball player who was an original member of the Buffalo Braves after starring for the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team...
and Geoff Petrie
Geoff Petrie
Geoffrey Michael Petrie is a former American basketball player and current basketball team executive. A native of Pennsylvania, he played professional basketball in the National Basketball Association for the Portland Trail Blazers where he won NBA Rookie of the Year in 1971...
were selected to the All-Ivy League first team. Petrie, who led 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 23.9 average in conference games, was also an All-East selection. Thomforde was selected in the 1969 NBA Draft
1969 NBA Draft
The 1969 NBA Draft was the 23rd annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 7, 1969 and May 7, 1969 before the 1969–70 season. In this draft, 14 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year...
by the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
with the 96th overall selection in the 7th round. Hummer led the conference in 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...
with 55.4%. Petrie and Hummer would become the only Tiger teammates to both be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft
NBA 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...
(in the same draft no less) when they were selected eighth and fifteenth overall in the 1970 NBA Draft
1970 NBA Draft
The 1970 NBA Draft was the 24th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 23, 1970 before the 1970–71 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
by the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
and the Buffalo Braves
Buffalo Braves
The Buffalo Braves were a team in the National Basketball Association. They later moved to San Diego, California to become the San Diego Clippers then subsequently the Los Angeles Clippers....
. The two were part of a trio of 1970 NBA first-round draftees from the Ivy League that included number thirteen selection Jim McMillian
Jim McMillian
James M. "Jim" McMillian is a retired American professional basketball player. After starring at Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, McMillian played college basketball at Columbia University. He led Columbia to a three-year mark of 63-14, and their last NCAA Tournament appearance in 1968,...
of Columbia
Columbia Lions men's basketball
The Columbia Lions Basketball team is the basketball team that represents Columbia University in New York City, New York, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Ivy League. The team's last appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament was in 1968...
. Hummer was the first NBA draft pick by the expansion Buffalo Braves. Petrie would share the 1971 NBA Rookie of the Year Award
NBA Rookie of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Rookie of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1952–53 NBA season, to the top rookie of the regular season. The winner receives the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy, which is named in honor of the Philadelphia Warriors head...
with Dave Cowens
Dave Cowens
David William Cowens is a retired American professional basketball player and NBA head coach. At 6'9", he played the center and occasionally the power forward position. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991...
.
Brian Taylor
Brian Taylor (basketball)
Brian Dwight Taylor is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'2" guard from Princeton University, he was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round of the 1972 NBA Draft...
was selected in the 1972 NBA Draft
1972 NBA Draft
The 1972 NBA Draft was the 26th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 10, 1972 before the 1972–73 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players...
by the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
with the 23rd overall selection in the second round while Reggie Bird was selected 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:...
with the 55th overall selection in the fourth round.
Regular season
The team posted a 19–7 (14–0 Ivy League) record.| Villanova | L | 54–64 | |
| Duke ! | L | 62–81 | |
| Maryland | W | 72–63 | |
| NAVY | W | *56–55 | |
| Rutgers | L | 60–61 | |
| NEW YORK UNIV. | W | 88–76 | |
| Holy Cross @ | W | 67–55 | |
| UCLA @ | L | 67–83 | |
| North Carolina @ | L | 76–103 | |
| Pennsylvania | W | 59–56 | |
| Army | W | 51–42 | |
| DARTMOUTH | W | 70–55 | |
| HARVARD | W | 73–62 | |
| Davidson # | L | 54–71 | |
| PENNSYLVANIA | W | 74–62 | |
| Harvard | W | 76–65 | |
| Dartmouth | W | 61–50 | |
| COLUMBIA | W | 68–49 | |
| CORNELL | W | 67–57 | |
| Yale | W | 67–56 | |
| Brown | W | 75–56 | |
| YALE | W | 72–53 | |
| BROWN | W | 74–46 | |
| Columbia | W | 60–59 | |
| Cornell | W | 74–64 | |
| St. John’s $ | L | 63–72 |
- ! = at New York
- @ = ECAC Holiday Classic at New York
- # = at Charlotte, N.C.
- $ = NCAA first round at Raleigh, N.C.
Home games in CAPS
NCAA tournament
The team lost in the first round of the 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1969, and ended with the championship game on March 22 in Louisville, Kentucky...
.
- 3/8/69 in Raleigh, N.C.: St. John’s 72, Princeton 63
Awards and honors
- Geoff PetrieGeoff PetrieGeoffrey Michael Petrie is a former American basketball player and current basketball team executive. A native of Pennsylvania, he played professional basketball in the National Basketball Association for the Portland Trail Blazers where he won NBA Rookie of the Year in 1971...
- First Team All-Ivy League
- Ivy League Scoring Champion
- All-East
- John HummerJohn HummerJohn Hummer is a venture capitalist and retired professional basketball player who was an original member of the Buffalo Braves after starring for the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team...
- First Team All-Ivy League
- Chris Thomforde
- Second Team All-Ivy League
- NCAA Postgraduate Scholar
Players drafted into the NBA
Five 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 |
| 1969 1969 NBA Draft The 1969 NBA Draft was the 23rd annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 7, 1969 and May 7, 1969 before the 1969–70 season. In this draft, 14 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players. A player who had finished his four-year... |
7 | 11 | Chris Thomforde | New York Knicks New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
| 1970 1970 NBA Draft The 1970 NBA Draft was the 24th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on March 23, 1970 before the 1970–71 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players... |
1 | 8 | Geoff Petrie Geoff Petrie Geoffrey Michael Petrie is a former American basketball player and current basketball team executive. A native of Pennsylvania, he played professional basketball in the National Basketball Association for the Portland Trail Blazers where he won NBA Rookie of the Year in 1971... |
Portland Trail Blazers Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the... |
| 1970 | 1 | 15 | John Hummer John Hummer John Hummer is a venture capitalist and retired professional basketball player who was an original member of the Buffalo Braves after starring for the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team... |
Buffalo Braves Buffalo Braves The Buffalo Braves were a team in the National Basketball Association. They later moved to San Diego, California to become the San Diego Clippers then subsequently the Los Angeles Clippers.... |
| 1972 1972 NBA Draft The 1972 NBA Draft was the 26th annual draft of the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on April 10, 1972 before the 1972–73 season. In this draft, 17 NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players... |
2 | 23 | Brian Taylor Brian Taylor (basketball) Brian Dwight Taylor is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'2" guard from Princeton University, he was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round of the 1972 NBA Draft... |
Seattle SuperSonics Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as... |
| 1972 | 4 | 55 | Reggie Bird | 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:... |
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...
- 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1969 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 8, 1969, and ended with the championship game on March 22 in Louisville, Kentucky...
- 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...