The slow starts are over. The defense has returned. The baffling, overly casual turnovers continue.
In a game full of low-light TOs, I think Pierce’s Harlem Globetrotter act with the game on the line takes the cake. Behind the back baseline pass to an imaginary cutter? You try that up 20, not down 1.
Despite the win, they’d better get an earful in the locker room. Early morning video session to go over every single turnover would be nice too.
For my money, the worst 10 seconds was Xaivian’s terrible turnover, looking the ball right into the defender’s hands, followed by his complete breakdown on defense. watching the Penn player hit from three without charging him.
Lordy, that sequence was painful. As was Happy’s last 2 turnovers, where he dribbled 10 times slowly in the post and - shock! - had it poked away.
CJ was sooo good for most of his minutes. Dominant on both ends. Then he picked up his 3rd foul and stopped playing hard on either end. Does he not realize you get 5?
I have not been able to watch many games recently due to my schedule and have not been inclined to watch the replays given the results. Very disappointing season so far after the early promise of the Ws against St. Joe’s and Rutgers.
This reminds me of the year Will Venable and Judson Wallace were seniors and had been first team All-Ivy the previous year and won the Ivy title and then in Joe Scott’s first season they nose-dived. The coaching transition clearly had a lot to do with that season’s outcome but it was a huge letdown.
What is up with Dalen Davis? Although he made the big late trey last night his minutes and production seem to be way down.
I’m hoping this year is more like 2023. A frustrating season where Tosan and Langborg underperformed for months and Yale looked vastly superior in every way.
And then they caught fire from the ILT to the NCAA. Never have I been so relieved to have a conference tourney. Let’s get all the kinks and shooting slumps out now.
That play was right in front of me. With his peripheral vision he could see Malik was wide open underneath the basket. Caden just made a bad pass.
You’re right. I shouldn’t have said “imaginary cutter.” It’s just that the pass was so bad, so off-target, it was downright comical. I actually laughed before groaning.
Other than the Wright State blowout loss, this narrow Penn win might be the worst game this team has played all season.
IMHO, he does not fit into the scheme of this offense. Not enough touches, not enough fast break opportunities.
I think he is high risk to enter the portal, no so much for $ (although that would grease the skids), as for a different offense.
FWIW Lee was openly telling people at the NYU game on Sunday that he will be staying at Princeton next year instead of going to the NBA or portal.
I think a wise decision.
And more reason for DD to leave.
I agree that would be a smart decision for Lee. Xaivian’s shooting and scoring have suffered this year as he’s become assist leader, major rebounder, and primary defender. His three-point shooting average is down to .336–NINTH best on the team, and FG % down to .425, also 9th best on the team. That can’t help his NBA prospects. And sadly, 2026 is now looking like a better bet for March heroics that could catapult him to greater national recognition than 2025. (I wonder if all of the time he’s been spending in the weight room to transform his body is impacting his shooting).
Oh wow, that would be quite a relief/boon for Princeton hoops! Maybe this year isn’t the last gasp of the Pierce-Lee Era after all. There’s simply no substitute for senior stars (as Yale can attest to this year).
From a draft perspective, it makes sense. 2024-25 has turned out to be a banner year for freshmen, which leaves virtually no hope that Lee can sneak into the first round. And I don’t think Lee being 22 instead of 21 will make a big difference if his scoring/shooting significantly improves - many 22-23 year-olds have been drafted mid-late first round in recent years.
Of course, all this goes out the window if this team has a 2023-type run and/or Xaivian has a great pre-draft workout. Last year, Xaivian said he was definitely coming back when he declared for the draft… then later admitted he almost accepted one of his two-way offers. He only withdrew on the very last day.
Unless I don’t understand them, I don’t see a promise of a 2-way contract being worth leaving school. The money can be good, but isn’t guaranteed. Most players have a guarantee of $0 with some at $75,000 minimum guaranteed and a minority getting a guarantee of $280,000. There’s no guarantee of playing in anything more than the G-League, in front of sparse crowds (although with very good competition), and I’m not sire that even making it to the G League is guaranteed. It looks like the equivalent of a free agent contract. I don’t know anyone who was signed to an NBA free agent contract, but I do know a fair number who signed NFL or baseball free agent contracts; some got cut after 3 days in the preseason.
And the pre-draft promise of a 2-way isn’t a guarantee of a 2-way. The team could change their mind and leave a player hanging, depending on how the draft goes and what other 2-way or free agent players are available.
I’m old-fashioned and think that players should get their degrees first. If not, they should at least have a lot of dollars guaranteed, as Chris Young had in baseball before he signed. (Young somehow managed to graduate while playing in the minors, which is unusual). Star players like Armond Hill and Bryan Taylor returned to Princeton to complete their degrees after their careers were over, but their prospects in the NBA (or the ABA, for Taylor) were extremely promising.
On the bright side, with Lee looking mediocre of late and Princeton getting humiliated again, I doubt we’ll have to worry about the temptation of getting drafted and 2-way contracts.
2024-25 is looking like a great year for the NBA Draft and a bad year for the Princeton Tigers. Lee 100% should come back next year to a stronger team (and a weaker Ivy).
I like CJ Happy’s potential, but right now, this team lacks a single quality big man. Can’t win consistently without one. No rim protection on defense; no easy buckets at the rim on offense.
I love Xaivian and really hope that he gets his grove back, but the way he’s been playing lately, he doesn’t belong in the same conversation as Bryan Taylor or Armond Hill (or Tosan, for that matter). His shooting touch has collapsed, he’s making awful turnovers (more TO than assists tonight vs. Brown), and for the second season in a row, his game seems to be failing down the stretch. I really hope he proves me wrong but I just don’t see him at the next level right now.
It’s hard to see greatness considering these last few games, but NBA scouting is different than college performance. Plenty of elite college players can’t play in the NBA (e.g. Jimmer Fredette). And vice versa. Plenty of NBA players with underwhelming efficiency/team performance do great in the NBA (e.g. Austin Reaves). Heck, Jeremy Lin never won Ivy POY or an Ivy title and played 9 years in the NBA.
There’s a reason NBA scouts have been all over Xaivian since his sophomore year and why he got even more attention this year. He’s got all the shifty moves to get his own shot, great court vision to rack up 5+ apg on a team that lacks other plus-scorers, and he has that X-factor (no pun intended), elevating his game against high major teams and splashing game-winning 3s.
His weaknesses mostly come down to getting worn down by physical defense. It’s clear his skinny frame gets tired as the season continues. But there’s a lot of hoops to be played. Watch him drop 30 tomorrow and/or next week and suddenly we’re all back on the X-Train. He’s definitely hurt his stock of late, but I’m sure he’ll remain on radars, especially if he comes back and improves next season.
I care more about Devon Austin returning next year at 100%% than I do about X Lee returning.
We do expect Austin back don’t we ?
Tonight has made things pretty clear in my mind. What’s wrong with this team? Caden Pierce.
He’s a POY who’s playing like a solid role player - prone to frequent off-nights. Is he injured? I don’t know. Is he suffering from lack of confidence? Maybe. But when he and Lee are both on their game - this team can beat high majors like St. Joe’s and Rutgers. When he’s off, they can’t beat any half-decent team.
While it’s clear that the league has scouted his moves in the paint, that doesn’t explain this extreme dropoff. Especially since he’s improved his 3pt shooting this season. It’s one thing for Yale to stymie him - but Wright State? Oof. Something is clearly off with him and the team can’t function with only 1 star.
We were blocked at the rim 13 times in two games. We need a shot blocking big of our own, please if you will, basketball gods.
Joe Scott inherited Judson Wallace and recruited no big men. Sydney Johnson brought in Connelly his third year. Mitch brought in Brase, who was a 'tweener. Then no one until Aririguzoh in his 6th year. And Richmond was really a successful project, not a known “big”. Since then only Tosan, not really a big. So to me, Mitch has been unable to recruit and sign a true big man. I hope Happy works out, but he reminds me of Gladson. Yale and Brown bring in shot blocking big men in a steady stream.