The Princeton Tigers had been a 14.5-point underdog coming into their First-Spherical sport within the NCAA Match in opposition to the two-seed Arizona Wildcats. It was a traditional David versus Goliath matchup.
The Tigers and Wildcats each gained their convention tournaments. It was a back-and-forth sport, however they squandered a 12-point second-half lead because the Tigers completed a 9-0 run to take down the Wildcats 59-50 in a stunning upset.
Tosan Evbuomwan was the one Tiger to attain in double digits on Thursday when he led Princeton with 15 factors. He added seven rebounds and 4 assists to his ledger.
Can Princeton Make a Run?
Princeton enters the sport on a five-game profitable streak and has seemingly gotten extremely popular, a key for a March run for a Cinderella staff.
Princeton’s guard play was higher than Arizona’s and might be a key in opposition to Missouri. Nevertheless, the Princeton Tigers went 4-25 from three-point vary, which isn’t a great recipe for a deep March run. Additionally, the Tigers had been simply 3-5 from the free-throw line in opposition to Arizona. If Princeton struggled to hit threes, they need to get to the road. Princeton’s protection was the important thing to the win over the Wildcats, because the Tigers had eight steals and 6 blocks. Was this a fluke win? The field rating appears to make it out to be one.
How Far Can They Go?
After the upset of Arizona, all eyes might be on Princeton once they tackle the seven-seed Missouri Tigers on Saturday night in Sacramento. Princeton (+6.5) is an apparent underdog in opposition to Missouri, as Princeton’s protection could have a troublesome process slowing down Missouri’s offense, averaging 79.4 factors per sport. Princeton is one in every of a number of groups who’re a protracted shot to win a nationwide title (+50000), however their odds to make the Candy 16 or Elite Eight are usually not listed. Whereas it was a enjoyable watch on Thursday, having Princeton make a deep run into the Match could also be an excessive amount of to ask.