Road Trip Ends with Disappointing Loss at Princeton

Saturday, February 12

Princeton, N.J. / Jadwin Gym

4:00 PM

Dartmouth College

5-15,2-7Ivy League

Princeton

17-5,7-2Ivy League

Dartmouth

Princeton

Dusan Neskovic contributed six points

Photo by: Chris Leung

Road Trip Ends with Disappointing Loss at Princeton

2/12/2022 6:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball

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Aaryn Rai provided 12 points to the Big Green effort

By: Rick Bender

PRiNCETON, N.J. — Chalk it up to one of those days when nothing goes right. The Dartmouth men's basketball team could not get the ball to bounce its way all afternoon as host Princeton (17-5, 7-2 Ivy) handed the Big Green an 85-40 defeat on Saturday at Jadwin Gym, the worst loss for Dartmouth (5-15, 2-7 Ivy) against an Ivy League team in 55 years.

The Big Green were smothered by the Tiger defense the entire game, shooting 23.1 percent (12-of-52) for the contest and a woeful five percent (1-of-20) from behind the arc, missing their first 18 attempts. This despite entering the day among the top 30 teams nationally in 3-pointers made per game and having drilled at least six triples in every contest this season. Dartmouth did not let its troublesome shooting carry over the foul line, however, where it converted 15-of-19 (.789).

Princeton, though it started a bit slowly on offense, put the pedal down and did not let up, knocking down 33-of-68 (.485) from the floor and a dozen 3-pointers in 26 attempts (.462). The starting lineup was removed midway through the second half as the reserves for both sides got quite a bit of game experience.

Tosan Evbuomwan led all players with 15 points for the Tigers, including the first six of the game. The short run was ended by fifth-year senior Aaryn Rai with a layup, and when graduate Brendan Barry knocked down a pull-up jumper from 11 feet, Dartmouth trailed by a 7-4 count after slightly more than five minutes of action.

A Jaelin Llewellyn 3-pointer two minutes later started the Princeton surge as the Big Green went eight minutes without a field goal. When senior Garrison Wade finally dropped in a layup just before the shot clock expired with 6:37 to play, Princeton enjoyed a 23-8 lead.

Wade added another bucket on the next possession after Evbuomwan hit a short jumper, but there would be no more field goals for Dartmouth for the remainder of the half. Llewellyn drained a 3-pointer just before the buzzer sounded to end the half, giving the hosts a 30-point lead at the break, 43-13.

The second half did not begin any better for the Green as Princeton scored 25 points in the first 7:30 of the stanza thanks to sinking six 3-pointers. That barrage of triples offset the 10 points Rai produced in that stretch, boosting the Tigers' lead to 45 at 68-23. The Princeton starters were pulled at that time and the reserves played the Big Green — which also went through their entire bench — even the rest of the way.

Rai was the only Dartmouth player to score in double figures with 12 points on 4-of-6 from the floor along with seven rebounds, while sophomore Dusan Neskovic added six points in some his first extended playing time.

Joining Evbuomwan in double figures for Princeton was Ryan Langborg with a dozen points on 5-of-8 shooting, and Llewellyn had three trifectas to account for his nine points while hauling in a team-best seven boards. The Tigers nearly doubled up the Big Green on the glass, 50-27.

With its four-game road swing behind it, Dartmouth will look to regroup on its home floor at Leede Arena next weekend when Cornell (13-8, 5-5 Ivy) and Columbia (4-18, 1-9 Ivy) come to town for games on Friday and Saturday evenings, respectively. Both games are crucial for the Big Green to try and keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the Ivy League Tournament in one month. Tip off is at 7 p.m. for each game and will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Brett Franklin calling the action on Friday and Bob Lipman on Saturday with the help of former Dartmouth head coach Dave Faucher.

Notes: The last Ivy League team to beat the Big Green by at least 45 points was also Princeton back on Jan. 14, 1967 in a 116-42 final … Barry, ninth nationally in 3-pointers per game entering today, was held without a trey for the first time all season.