2003–04 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team

The 2003–04 Princeton Tigers men's basketball
Princeton Tigers men's basketball
The 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...

team represented Princeton University

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 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season

2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season

The 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2003, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 5, 2004 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas...

. 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 John Thompson III

John Thompson III

John Thompson III is the current head coach of the men's basketball team at Georgetown University. He grew up in Washington, D.C. and was named first team All-Metro by The Washington Post while playing for Gonzaga College High School in 1984. Thompson was hired on April 20, 2004 to replace Craig...

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...

s were Ed Persia and Judson Wallace. 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 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 65-team 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament

The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...

where they were seeded fourteenth in the Atlanta Region. Following the season Thompson departed to coach Georgetown where his father John Thompson, Jr.

John Thompson (basketball)

John R. Thompson, Jr. is an American former basketball coach for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator...

had coached for decades. He was replaced by Joe Scott

Joe Scott

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....

. Both Scott and the younger Thompson are former Princeton Tigers basketball captains.

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 20–8 overall record and a 13–1 conference record. Princeton clinched the Ivy League title on March 6, 2004 at , making the March 9 annual Ivy League season finale contest against meaningless. Nonetheless, the Tigers defeated Penn 76–70 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...

giving them a nine-game winning streak as they entered the NCAA Division I Basketball Tournament. In its March 18, 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Atlanta Regional first round game against the Brandon Mouton-led at the Pepsi Center

Pepsi Center

Pepsi Center is a multi-purpose arena in Denver, Colorado, United States. The building is home to the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League, and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League...

in the team lost by a 66–49 margin.

The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selections Will Venable

Will Venable

William Dion Venable is a Major League baseball right fielder for the San Diego Padres. In the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft, he was selected by the Padres in the seventh round. Venable made his Major League debut on August 29, , against the Colorado Rockies...

and Judson Wallace.

See also