PRINCETON – Four years ago, in a version of planes, trains and automobiles that already has entered Princeton basketball lore, assistant coach Brett MacConnell discovered an obscure prospect in Newcastle, England.
That leap of faith paid off spectacularly Sunday.
The prospect, Tosan Evbuomwan, led the Tigers to the Ivy League Tournament title with a hardwood masterpiece in a 74-65 victory over Yale. Running the offense, scoring and defending the Bulldogs' top guard, the senior forward dominated as the Tigers earned their 26th NCAA Tournament berth and first since 2017.
"This means the world," Evbuomwan said. "Princeton is my home. Newcastle is my second home at this point."
He tallied 21 points, five rebounds and four assists, passing Princeton coach Mitch Henderson on the Tigers' all-time assist list. Not bad for a 6-foot-8 power forward.
"This has been a challenge with Tosan for three years, to get him to impose his physical will on the game," Henderson said. "And I thought we took strength from that this weekend. We’ll never have anyone here for a very long time who’s that good of a passer.”
On the defensive end, Evbuomwan limited Yale’s explosive sophomore John Poulakidis to 7 points on 2-of-6 shooting.
"Pretty inspiring," Princeton guard Matt Allocco said. "Everyone knows offensively Tosan is special, but today in particular I thought he was unbelievable. He’s the best player in this league on both ends. He was terrific today, willed us, carried us there.”
As a result Princeton (21-8) is going dancing for the second time under Henderson. The Tigers shared the Ivy’s regular-season crown with Yale (21-8) but got swept by the Bulldogs home and away – and also lost to them in last year’s Ivy Tourney final as well.
This was different as nearly 5,000 fans packed Jadwin Gym, making the most of Princeton’s first turn as the host of this four-team event. The Ivy League added a tournament in 2017, becoming the last Division 1 conference to do so. That year, Princeton prevailed at the Palestra and went on to push Notre Dame to the brink in the Big Dance’s opening round, falling when Devin Cannady’s 3-pointer missed the mark at the buzzer.
Getting back there has been a mission for Henderson, who played in three NCAA Tournaments as a Princeton guard from 1996-98.
“I think about it every day walking into the gym and looking at the banners…especially as an alum," Henderson said. “It’s one of the coolest things in sports.”
After the final buzzer Sunday he encountered John Thompson III, who starred at guard at Princeton before leading the Tigers to two NCAA Tournaments as a head coach. Thompson is widely associated with Georgetown, which he coached to a Final Four in 2007, but he's a Princeton man through and through.
“All is right with the world," Thompson told him.
This Tigers team, a likely No. 14 seed, has the firepower to cause trouble for some high-major. It starts with Evbuomwan, a point forward who scored 21 in Saturday’s semifinal win over Penn and was the runaway choice for tournament MVP. But there are sharpshooters too in guards Ryan Langborg (14 points vs. Yale), Allocco (15 points, 7 rebounds) and a rising-star freshman in forward Caden Pierce (12 points, 10 rebounds). Princeton's last March Madness win came in 1998, Henderson's senior year. The Tigers also stunned UCLA in an instant classic in 1996, the final triumph for legendary coach Pete Carril.
Carril died in August at age 92.
“I’ve thought about him a lot," Henderson said. "So much of what I say is him."
He said Carril would particularly have enjoyed how this Princeton squad got better as the season went on. Peaking late was a Carril specialty.
"A lot of this is honoring him," Henderson said. "He’d be very proud."
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