Dec. 5, 2002
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GAME INFORMATION
Match Up: Lafayette vs. Princeton
Tip: 8:07 p.m. E.S.T.
Site: Easton, Pa.
Arena: Kirby Sports Center (3,500)
Series: Princeton Leads 40-14
Radio: WEST-AM 1400, www.lafayette.edu
Commentators: Dick Hammer, Carl Schumacher
TV: Lafayette Sports Network (RCN-4, WBPH-60)
Commentators: Gary Laubach, John Leone, Dan Mowdy
THE STORY LINE: The Leopards are looking for their first win of the season, entering the game with an 0-4 record, their first such mark in over 10 years (1991-92). Tonight's game vs. Princeton is the second in a three-game homestand. Princeton (2-2) is coming off dramatic buzzer-beating win at Monmouth on Tuesday.
FARRELL GRABS CAREER HIGH REBOUNDS: Mike Farrell has been the one constant performer in the Lafayette lineup this season and his rebounding is a reflection of it. The junior set a new career mark versus Drexel. He ripped down 14 rebounds, nine defensive and five of the offensive variety. His previous career high was nine, which he managed in the Leopards' first game of the season at Binghamton and once last season vs. Lehigh. He is averaging 9.3 rebounds per game through the Leopards' first four games.
DAVIS EMERGING AS A SCORER: In his junior season, Winston Davis has emerged as one of the Leopards' top scorers. He is averaging 15.5 points per game, contributing 16 at Binghamton, 18 at La Salle, 14 at Arizona State and most recently 14 vs. Drexel. He has led the Leopards in scoring in every game this season.
TOUGH COMPETITION: Lafayette has faced some formidable competition in its first four games. The Leopards' four opponents are a combined 14-5 at this point in the season. Lafayette has played teams from the Pac-10 (Arizona St.), Atlantic 10 (La Salle) and CAA (Drexel).
FIRST-YEAR PRODUCTION: Freshmen Pat Betley and Andrei Capusan are making immediate impacts off the bench for Lafayette. The first-year players have seen action in all four contests and are averaging 13.0 and 10.3 minutes per game, respectively. Betley's (2.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg) strongest game of the season came against La Salle when he tallied eight points, including two three's, while Capusan (1.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg) showed his best vs. Drexel with five boards.
COMING UP: The Leopards have a 10-day hiatus from game competition, next playing on Dec. 17. Tip-off versus Ursinus is set for 7:30 p.m. The Leopards' game scheduled for Dec. 5 vs. Centenary has been rescheduled for Jan. 7.
ABOUT PRINCETON: Ivy League foe Princeton comes into the game with a 2-2 record. The Tigers are coming off a dramatic 60-57 win over Monmouth on Tuesday. With the game tied and 0.7 seconds remaining, Princeton junior guard Ed Persia heaved up a 75-footer and sank it as time expired to give the Tigers the win. Going into Monmouth, the Tigers were coming off a 68-65 overtime loss at home vs. Florida International on Nov. 30. Princeton went 1-1 to open the season in the Sooner Invitational, beating Western Michigan, 62-59, before losing to host Oklahoma, 82-63, then the No. 7 team in the nation. Junior guard Spencer Gloger leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.8 ppg, and he is joined by sophomore Will Venable (8.5 ppg) and senior Kyle Wente (3.3, ppg, 3.5 apg) in the starting backcourt. In the frontcourt, senior Ray Robbins (9.3 ppg) and sophomore Judson Wallace (7.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg) have started all four games for the Tigers. Princeton is coached By John Thompson III, a 1988 graduate of Princeton. Thompson, the son of former Georgetown head coach John Thompson, is in his third season at Princeton and holds a 34-25 record.
SERIES NOTES: Lafayette trails Princeton 14-40 in the all-time series. The Leopards lost the last meeting, 67-61, (see complete recap to left) on Dec. 21, 2001 in Princeton, N.J. The two teams have played every season since 1990 and the all-time series dates all the way back to Feb. 27, 1900 when the programs first met.
INJURY REPORT (presented by Asst. Athletic Trainer Stephanie Conley): Freshman forward Miran Omanovic injured his ankle in practice on Sunday in Arizona. X-rays revealed no fractures and he was diagnosed with a severe sprain. Omanovic has not practiced since and will be out for three to four weeks. Sophomore guard Eric Mugavero, who was expected to see increased playing time this season, has been hobbled by severe lower back pain. He has been unable to practice since the season began and is out indefinitely.
ON THE SIDELINE: Head coach Fran O'Hanlon (Villanova, 1970) is in his eighth season as the Leopards' mentor. He has twice been named Patriot League Coach of the Year of the Lafayette non-scholarship program and lists two NCAA Tournament appearances and three Patriot League regular-season titles among his credentials. O'Hanlon's career record stands at 110-95, a mark that includes two 20-win seasons.
CAPUSAN'S CONTRIBUTIONS: Freshman Andrei Capusan turned in his best game of the young season against Drexel, pulling down a career-best five rebounds. His five boards were the second most for Lafayette behind Mike Farrell's career-high 14. One Capusan rebound led to an outlet to Drew Dawson who fired a pass the length of the court to Farrell for an easy bucket. Capusan also made one-of-two free throw attempts and blocked a shot in just 12 minutes of action off the bench.
IN THE HOUSE THAT THE KIRBYS BUILT: Lafayette has enjoyed plenty of success in Kirby Sports Center. Since the building's inaugural season in 1973-74, the Leopards have posted a 254-109 record in 30 seasons. Twenty-three of those seasons have been winning campaigns. In 2001-02, Lafayette went 9-4 at Kirby. This season, Lafayette is 0-1, having lost its opener to Drexel.
EARLY LEAGUE STATISTICS: Lafayette has several players ranked among the Patriot League leaders at this point in the season. Winston Davis (15.5 ppg) and Justin DeBerry (11.0 ppg) are ranked fifth and 16th, respectively, in scoring. Andrew Pleick is fourth in assists per game (4.25 apg). Fellow co-captain Mike Farrell is currently the second-best rebounder in the Patriot league with 9.3 rpg. Winston Davis sits fourth in the conference in free throw shooting (87.5%).
ON THE BOARDS: Lafayette has done a solid job on the boards thus far. The Leopards outrebounded their opponents in three of four games, with Arizona State's strong frontcourt the lone exception. Power forward Mike Farrell is leading the way with 9.3 rebounds per game. The Leopards are also receiving some rebounding from the backcourt in the persons of Winston Davis (6.3 rpg) and Andrew Pleick (4.3 rpg).
LAFAYETTE VS. THE IVY LEAGUE: Lafayette has played 180 games against the eight members of the Ivy League, and has a 70-110 (.389) record in those contests. Under Fran O'Hanlon, the Leopards are 20-19 (.513) versus the Ivy League. Lafayette went 1-3 against Ivy League competitors in 2001-02. This season, Lafayette plays four games against Ancient Eight foes, facing Princeton (Dec. 7), Columbia (Jan. 2), Cornell (Jan. 5) and Penn (Jan. 21).
Brown 11-8 Cornell 9-5 Harvard 2-3 Princeton 14-40 Columbia 22-10 Dartmouth 3-2 Pennsylvania 3-33 Yale 6-9
