Princeton Basketball Gameday: Tigers open Ivy League play at Harvard
Jan 10, 2025
WHO: Princeton (11-4, 0-0) at Harvard (5-8, 0-0)
WHEN: Saturday, 2 p.m., Lavietes Pavilion, Cambridge, Mass.
TV/ RADIO: ESPN+/ The Varsity Network
LAST TIME OUT: Princeton def. Kean, 92-71; Harvard def. Bowdoin, 71-65
STREAK: Princeton W4; Harvard W2
SERIES HISTORY: Princeton leads, 139-51. The Tigers have won the last six meetings.
NCAA NET RANK: Princeton 124; Harvard 281
KENPOM RANK: Princeton 110; Harvard 266
SCOUTING PRINCETON: The Tigers roll into Lavietes as winners of four straight to begin what should be a fascinating Ivy League season. The Ivy ranks 13th out of 31 conferences in KenPom, so with only four spots available for the ILT at the Pizzatola Sports Center things are going to be tight throughout. The health of Caden Pierce is paramount to Princeton’s chances and the reigning Ivy Player of the Year was responding well to the ankle injury he picked up against Akron on Dec. 30. Coach Mitch Henderson said he’s hopeful the junior star will play against Harvard on Saturday. Pierce (11.4 points, 6.7 rebounds) and Xaivian Lee (15.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.7 assists) grab the headlines, but the Tigers have also got solid contributions from the likes of Dalen Davis, Blake Peters, Jackson Hicke, Philip Byriel and Malik Abdullahi along the way. Davis arrived just in time to score seven points in the final 1:20 against Akron as Princeton used some of its famous Jadwin magic to steal that game late. The Tigers have won three games in which they trailed by double digits in the second half this season.
SCOUTING HARVARD: The Crimson have won three of their last four, although Tommy Amaker’s bunch struggled to put away Division III Bowdoin last time out and were outscored by 15 in the second half. Guard Robert Hinton came flying out of the blocks by scoring 27 and 26 points in his first two college games and leads the team at 13.9 points. Chandler Pigge averages 12.7 points and leads the Ivy in rebounding at 7.2 caroms per game. Thomas Batties II and Evan Nelson both shoot the 3 at 40% or better.