1987–88 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team

1987–88 Princeton Tigers men's basketball
ConferenceIvy League
Record17–9 (9–5, 3rd Ivy)
Head coach
CaptainJohn Thompson III
Dave Orlandini
Home arenaJadwin Gymnasium
Seasons
1987–88 Ivy League men's basketball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Cornell 11 – 3   .786 17 – 10   .630
Dartmouth 10 – 4   .714 18 – 8   .692
Princeton 9 – 5   .643 17 – 9   .654
Yale 8 – 6   .571 12 – 14   .462
Penn 8 – 6   .571 10 – 16   .385
Harvard 6 – 8   .429 11 – 15   .423
Brown 2 – 12   .143 6 – 20   .231
Columbia 2 – 12   .143 6 – 20   .231
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1987–88 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team represented Princeton University in intercollegiate college basketball during the 1987–88 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Pete Carril and the team captain was John Thompson III.[1] The team played its home games in the Jadwin Gymnasium on the University campus in Princeton, New Jersey. The team finished third in the Ivy League, earning no postseason invitation to either the 1988 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 1988 National Invitation Tournament.[2] The team posted a 17–9 overall record and a 9–5 conference record.[1]

The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selection Bob Scrabis.[2] During the season, Bill Bradley was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America Hall of Fame.[2] Using the Princeton offense, the team set the current National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I single-season three-point field goal field goal percentage record (minimum 200 made) with 49.2% shooting (211 of 429).[3] In addition to leading the nation in three-point field goal percentage, the team led the nation in three-point field goals made per game (8.12).[4] The subsequent twelve consecutive teams would highlight defense and lead the nation.[5]

That season Princeton established Ivy League standards for career, single-season and single-game three-point field goal shooting. Dave Orlandini (51.3%) and Tim Neff (51.2%) ended their careers with what continue to be the two highest career three-point field goal percentages in Ivy League history.[6] Orlandini also posted the current single-season record with 54.5% shooting.[6] In addition, On December 16, 1987, against the Seton Hall Pirates, Orlandini made all five of his three-point attempts, which set the Ivy League single-game record for most made without a miss. Scrabis matched this record on March 4, 1988, against Columbia.[7] These stood as unsurpassed as the Ivy League record until future Princeton Tigers head coach Sydney Johnson made all six for Princeton on February 28, 1997, but Orlandini's performance continues to be the league record for non-conference games.[7] In addition, Kit Mueller shot 58.9% on his field goals to earn the first of three Ivy League statistical championships for field goal percentage.[8]

Schedule and results

Date
time, TV 		Rank# Opponent# Result Record Site
city, state
Non-conference regular season
Nov, 1987*
 Franklin & Marshall College W 62–47  1–0
 Jadwin Gymnasium (657)
Princeton, NJ
Dec 2, 1987*
 La Salle L 62–63  1–1
 Jadwin Gymnasium (1,100)
Princeton, NJ
Dec 5, 1987*
 Rutgers W 69–49  2–1
 Jadwin Gymnasium (1,375)
Princeton, NJ
Dec 9, 1987*
 Lehigh W 95–82  3–1
 Jadwin Gymnasium (991)
Princeton, NJ
Dec 12, 1987*
 at Utah L 55–59  3–2
 Jon M. Huntsman Center (10,017)
Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 15, 1987*
 Seton Hall W 61–59  4–2
 Jadwin Gymnasium (1,521)
Princeton, NJ
Dec 19, 1987*
 at Davidson L 45–47  4–3
 Johnston Gym (1,886)
Davidson, North Carolina
Dec 28, 1987*
 vs. San Francisco
Connecticut Mutual Classic 		W 62–42  5–3
 Hartford Civic Center (12,103)
Hartford, Connecticut
Dec 29, 1987*
 vs. Connecticut
Connecticut Mutual Classic 		L 46–49  5–4
 Hartford Civic Center (10,839)
Hartford, Connecticut
Jan 5, 1988*
 Delaware W 78–63  6–4
 Jadwin Gymnasium (464)
Princeton, NJ
Jan 9, 1988*
 at Fordham W 66–59  7–4
 Rose Hill Gymnasium (6,573)
Bronx, New York
Jan , 1988*
 Washington & Jefferson W 82–44  8–4
 Jadwin Gymnasium 
Princeton, NJ
Ivy League
Jan 25, 1988
 Brown W 72–60  9–4
(1–0) 		Jadwin Gymnasium (1,368)
Princeton, NJ
Jan 30, 1988
 Yale W 52–46  10–4
(2–0) 		Jadwin Gymnasium (2,135)
Princeton, NJ
Feb 5, 1988
 at Cornell L 55–60  10–5
(2–1) 		Barton Hall (2,500)
Ithaca, New York
Feb 6, 1988
 at Columbia W 69–47  11–5
(3–1) 		Levien Gymnasium (1,745)
New York, New York
Feb 9, 1988
 at Pennsylvania W 60–57  12–5
(4–1) 		Palestra (6,297)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Feb 12, 1988
 Dartmouth W 66–43  13–5
(5–1) 		Jadwin Gymnasium (4,127)
Princeton, NJ
Feb 13, 1988
 Harvard L 51–52  13–6
(5–2) 		Jadwin Gymnasium (2,427)
Princeton, NJ
Feb 19, 1988
 at Yale L 60–61  13–7
(5–3) 		Payne Whitney Gymnasium (1,230)
New Haven, Connecticut
Feb 20, 1988
 at Brown L 67–68  13–8
(5–4) 		Marvel Gymnasium (623)
Providence, Rhode Island
Feb 26, 1988
 at Harvard W 59–54  14–8
(6–4) 		Lavietes Pavilion (1,200)
Boston, Massachusetts
Feb 27, 1988
 at Dartmouth L 67–79  14–9
(6–5) 		Leede Arena (2,120)
Hanover, New Hampshire
Mar 1, 1988
 Pennsylvania W 67–65  15–9
(7–5) 		Jadwin Gymnasium 
Princeton, NJ
Mar 4, 1988
 Columbia W 73–52  16–9
(8–5) 		Jadwin Gymnasium 
Princeton, NJ
Mar 5, 1988
 Cornell W 79–58  17–9
(9–5) 		Jadwin Gymnasium 
Princeton, NJ
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
E=East.
All times are in Eastern Time.

[9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Men's Basketball Record Book • All-Time Results". GoPrincetonTigers.com. Princeton Athletic Communications. June 12, 2009. Retrieved September 27, 2010.
  2. ^ a b c 2009–10 Ivy League Basketball Media Guide. p. 37. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  3. ^ "Division I Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 15. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  4. ^ "Division I Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 49. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  5. ^ "Division I Records" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. p. 48. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  6. ^ a b 2009–10 Ivy League Basketball Media Guide. p. 50. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  7. ^ a b 2009–10 Ivy League Basketball Media Guide. p. 51. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  8. ^ 2009–10 Ivy League Basketball Media Guide. p. 49. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  9. ^ "1987-88 Princeton Tigers Men's Schedule and Results". sports-reference.com. Retrieved February 24, 2023.