Nov. 30, 2011

Box Score

PRINCETON, N.J. - An evenly played first half was followed by Princeton's Ian Hummer taking over the game in the second stanza. The Tigers' forward scored a season-high 23 points, including 16 in the second half, as Princeton pulled away from Lafayette for a 69-54 victory on Wednesday night at Jadwin Gym.

Ryan Willen finished with a team-high 16 points, and was the only Lafayette player to get things going offensively for Lafayette. Willen, who was 7-of-12 from the field, including one three-pointer, also led Lafayette on glass, hauling in five boards on the night.

Willen scored the first eight points of the game for Lafayette to give the Leopards an 8-2 opening advantage. He finished with 10 in the first half. Princeton (3-5), which started out the game 0-for-5 from long distance, hit back-to-back three's around the six-minute mark to lead 22-20, the Tigers' only lead of the first half.

Lafayette (3-4) held a one-point advantage (27-26) going into intermission. It was a clean half as the teams, combined for just six fouls and two free throws. The Tigers held a 20-13 advantage on the boards, including nine offensive rips.

In the second half, the teams were locked at 34. Jim Mower's driving lay-in on the left side gave Lafayette a 36-34 lead, its final advantage of the contest. Leading 40-39, Princeton strung together a 12-2 run over 4:09 which was punctuated by Hummer's slam to extend the lead to 52-41 with 8:40 to play.

Joey Ptasinski's three-pointer and three free throws on consecutive offensive possessions cut the deficit to nine points at the 5:03 mark, but the Leopards were unable to get any closer.

Lafayette will have the weekend off, hosting defending NEC champion Long Island on Monday at 7 p.m. at Kirby Sports Center.