1995–96 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 1995–96 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team represented Princeton University
in intercollegiate college basketball
during the 1995–96 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach
was Pete Carril
and the team captain
was Sydney Johnson
. The team played its home games in the 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 64-team 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
where they were seeded thirteenth in the Southeast Region. This was the final year that Carril coached the men's basketball team. He would be succeeded by assistant coach Bill Carmody
. Carrill retired as the Ivy League's winningest coach in terms of overall victories, conference victories and conference championships. By the end of the decade, Princeton achieved a 76.1% (210–66) winning percentage, which was the eighth best in the nation.
Using the Princeton offense
, the team posted a 22–7 overall record and a 13–2 conference record. Even after Jerome Allen and Matt Maloney
who led the Penn Quakers to Ivy titles in the prior four seasons graduated, Princeton's only two losses were to . After losing the regular season finale at The Palestra against Penn to finish the regular season tied for the conference championship on March 5, the team won its March 9, 1996 one-game Ivy League playoff game against Penn in at the Stabler Arena
by a 63–56 margin in overtime
for the Ivy League Championship and an invitation to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. The win ended an eight-game losing streak to Penn. The win earned the team the conference automatic bid to the 1996 NCAA Tournament
and following the game head coach
Pete Carril
announced his retirement. The thirteen seeded team was matched against the defending national champion
UCLA Bruins in its first round pairing. The team fell behind 41–34 with over six minutes remaining, but held UCLA scoreless the rest of the game. In a March 14, NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Southeast Regional first round game at the RCA Dome
in against the fourth seeded and defending national champion UCLA Bruins, the team produced the final upset of Carril's career with a 43–41 victory on the strength of a typical Princeton offense
Steve Goodrich to Gabe Lewullis bounce pass backdoor basket. During the game, Sydney Johnson
's leadership held the team together early when the UCLA looked strong. Two days later the Carril era ended with a loss to .
The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selections Steve Goodrich
and Johnson. The team won the eighth of twelve consecutive national statistical championships in scoring
defense with a 51.7 points allowed average. Goodrich led the Ivy League with a 60.3 field goal percentage
.
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 1995–96 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 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 Sydney Johnson
Sydney Johnson
Sydney Johnson is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach at Fairfield University for the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team. Previously, Johnson was the head coach at Princeton University from 2007 to 2011 where he led the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team to the...
. 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...
. 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 64-team 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1996 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 14, 1996, and ended with the championship game on April 1 at Continental Airlines Arena in...
where they were seeded thirteenth in the Southeast Region. This was the final year that Carril coached the men's basketball team. He would be succeeded by assistant coach 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:...
. Carrill retired as the Ivy League's winningest coach in terms of overall victories, conference victories and conference championships. By the end of the decade, Princeton achieved a 76.1% (210–66) winning percentage, which was the eighth best in the nation.
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 22–7 overall record and a 13–2 conference record. Even after Jerome Allen and Matt Maloney
Matt Maloney
This article is about the basketball player. For the baseball player, see Matt Maloney .Matthew M. "Matt" Maloney is a retired American professional basketball player...
who led the Penn Quakers to Ivy titles in the prior four seasons graduated, Princeton's only two losses were to . After losing the regular season finale at The Palestra against Penn to finish the regular season tied for the conference championship on March 5, the team won its March 9, 1996 one-game Ivy League playoff game against Penn in at the Stabler Arena
Stabler Arena
Stabler Arena is Lehigh University's 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, located on its Goodman Campus in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States...
by a 63–56 margin in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
for the Ivy League Championship and an invitation to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. The win ended an eight-game losing streak to Penn. The win earned the team the conference automatic bid to the 1996 NCAA Tournament
1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1996 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 14, 1996, and ended with the championship game on April 1 at Continental Airlines Arena in...
and following the game 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...
Pete Carril
Pete Carril
Peter J. "Pete" Carril is a former collegiate head coach and former NBA assistant with the Sacramento Kings.-Early years:...
announced his retirement. The thirteen seeded team was matched against the defending national champion
1995 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1995 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 16, 1995, and ended with the championship game on April 3 at the Kingdome in Seattle,...
UCLA Bruins in its first round pairing. The team fell behind 41–34 with over six minutes remaining, but held UCLA scoreless the rest of the game. In a March 14, NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Southeast Regional first round game at the RCA Dome
RCA Dome
RCA Dome was a domed stadium, located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the home of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise for 24 seasons ....
in against the fourth seeded and defending national champion UCLA Bruins, the team produced the final upset of Carril's career with a 43–41 victory on the strength of a typical 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...
Steve Goodrich to Gabe Lewullis bounce pass backdoor basket. During the game, Sydney Johnson
Sydney Johnson
Sydney Johnson is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach at Fairfield University for the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team. Previously, Johnson was the head coach at Princeton University from 2007 to 2011 where he led the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team to the...
's leadership held the team together early when the UCLA looked strong. Two days later the Carril era ended with a loss to .
The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selections 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 Johnson. The team won the eighth 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 51.7 points allowed average. Goodrich led the Ivy League with a 60.3 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...
.
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...
- 1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1996 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 14, 1996, and ended with the championship game on April 1 at Continental Airlines Arena in...
- 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...