February 12, 2003: Sports
Men’s hoops primes for Ivy foes
Sports Web Exclusives! P-nut Gallery column
Men’s hoops primes for Ivy foes
Photo: Spencer Gloger ’04 is the Ivy League’s second-leading scorer this year. (Beverly Schaefer)
After traveling to Oklahoma, Texas, and California early this season, the men’s basketball team is getting ready to compete for its third straight Ivy League title. Unlike last year, when the team shared the title with Penn and Yale, the Tigers are hoping to be alone at the top of the Ancient Eight come March.
Princeton went into the exam break with a 5—7 record after a 76—43 win over the University of Maryland—Baltimore County at home January 7. As usual, Spencer Gloger ’04 led the way with 22 points. Gloger is the second leading scorer in the Ivies with 17.5 points per game this season, more than any Tiger since 1972, when Brian Taylor ’84 averaged 25 points a game. He was drafted that year and later completed his degree.
But Gloger is not the only one playing well. Will Venable ’05 is averaging 11 points a game after nearly leaving the team this fall. Judson Wallace ’05 has grabbed 6.5 rebounds a game – fifth in the Ivy League – after stepping in to start at center.
“It’s good to go into the exam break with a nice win,” said head coach John Thompson ’88 as the team looked ahead to its Ivy foes. “I like where we are right now.”
Gloger, who transferred to U.C.L.A. two years ago after a successful freshman campaign only to return to Princeton last year, is leading the Ivy League with 33 three-point baskets. He earned a spot on the all-tournament team at the Cable Car Classic in December in Santa Clara, California, where the Tigers downed Texas A&M 76—62 and lost a close one to host Santa Clara 77—71.
Princeton is getting accustomed to the close ones this season, playing eight games decided by six points or less. The team is 2—6 in those games, including losses to in-state rivals Rider (62—59) and Rutgers (76—70), and a near upset of fourth-ranked Texas (57—54) on the road in December. Because of a tough early schedule, Princeton also faced fifth-ranked Oklahoma at the Sooner Tournament in November, losing 82—63.
The team’s 60—57 win against Monmouth on the road earned it some national air time thanks to Ed Persia ’04’s 70-foot, buzzer-beating heave, which was selected as ESPN’s play of the day on December 3.
As PAW went to press, the Tigers were set to tip-off their league schedule
at home January 31 against Harvard, followed by Dartmouth February 1,
and road games at Columbia, Cornell, and Penn. 
By A.D.
Sports shorts
Women’s basketball (5—9, 1—0 Ivy) headed into exams with a 56—51 win over Penn at home to open its Ivy League season. Rebecca Brown ’06 leads the team with about 12 points a game.
Men’s hockey (3—16—0, 2—10—0 ECAC) saved some of its best skating of the season for Harvard on January 11, handing the Crimson a 2—1 loss. Goalie Trevor Clay ’05 stopped 45 shots, and Chris Owen ’04 scored two goals to lead the Tigers.
Women’s hockey (11—5—2, 4—2—0 ECAC) is ranked eighth in the country after early-season wins over nationally ranked St. Lawrence, Mercyhurst, and Providence. U.S. Olympian Andrea Kilbourne ’03 is pacing the team with 18 points (seven goals and 11 assists), and Gretchen Anderson ’04 has notched nine goals.
Men’s lacrosse’s Damien Davis ’03 and Ryan Boyle ’04 were named to Inside Lacrosse magazine’s preseason first-team All-America squad. Princeton was also ranked second behind Syracuse in the magazine’s preseason coaches’ poll.
Two-time NCAA champion Tora Harris ’02 was ranked as the U.S.’s
No. 1 high jumper and the No. 6 jumper in the world in December’s
issue of Track and Field News. Harris, who is training for this summer’s
World Championships, is the first Princeton track and field athlete to
achieve a world ranking since U.S. Olympian Augie Wolf ’83 was ranked
fourth in the shot put in 1984.
By A.D.
