Should SJU Play Princeton ?

[bamafan]

Bamafan Wrote: Great post Ghost, brought back great times and memories. Did you do it off the top of your head or was some research required? Them were the days!

Much of it I did from memory because it was such a memorable season in my mind but definitely used basketballreference.com for some of the specific details included, because accuracy counts for me.

My sister Went to Princeton back then and I was very clued in to that team and Rutgers legendary season is etched clearly in my mind. I always follow St. John's and that year's team was very memorable to me.

I remember it well also and the Rutgers game was for the ECAC champioship (there were multiple ECAC conferences in the NE) at the Garden late afternoon because I had to work that day. Faked illness to leave work early and boss said if I was really sick i could leave but if it was to go to the game i had to stay. Got in car to drive to the game and I felt sick, I had done such a convincing job I fooled myself. Had to remind myself I felt OK. Great game, had chance down the stretch and lost by 3.

 

[redfanUp9]

The benefit would be playing a first class team and school that is only a short ride for the team and the fans. On the other hand, there really isn't a reasonable payday in a game like that in a smaller campus gym both home and away.
You can probably support a Barkley game against St.Francis or even in a Garden double with Fordham/Iona/ Manhattan/ and us , but; I would rather see an annual home and home with Penn at the Palestra. Same class and challenge and with the same short ride for the fans but a bigger payday.

I'd love to go to the Palestra, that would be great.

 

[jerseyshorejohnny]

It goes back 40 years ago but in the 1975/1976 season the troika of St. John's, Rutgers and Princeton provided some of the beat local basketball rivalry that this area has ever seen. Rutgers had a season for the ages and went undefeated into the final four winning 31 straight games before under performing in the final four and losing to both Michigan and UCLA in the now obsolete third place consolation game. They were led by a great lineup of talent including Phil Sellers, Mike Dabney, Eddie Jordan, Hollis Copeland and Jammin James Bailey.

Arguably the two toughest games of Rutger's 31 straight wins was against Princeton and St. John's. Rutgers beat a very good St. John's team headed by Frank Alagia, George Johnson, Beaver Smith and Glenn Williams by three points in the Garden late in the season. Rutgers first round game in the NCAA tournament was against the legendary Pete Carril's Princeton Tigers. The Tigers were led by a future NBA guard Armond Hill and two long range dead-eye shooting big men Frank Sowinski and Barnes Hauptfuhrer. The game was a nail biter and in the final seconds little used reserve Pete Molloy went to the line with a chance to win the game. Molloy bricked his front end of a one and one free throw with four seconds left and Rutgers survived 54-53.

Princeton was no fluke that year they went 22-5. In January the Redmen went on the road to play Princeton at Jadwin Gym and lost to the Tigers in a hard fought contest 58- 55 . Despite losing both of those close games to Princeton and Rutgers, St. John's had a great team that year and wound up 23-6. Two of their losses came at the hands of Bobby Knight's national champion Indiana Hoosiers (The last undefeated national champion in Men's D1). There was a seven point loss in the Garden to the Hoosiers followed by a twenty point loss in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

In those days the tournament field was just 32 teams and St. John's, Princeton and Rutgers were among the best in the nation. Their three epic battles against each other that season was from an era that has long past, but it would still be nice to see the locals play each other and stimulate some rivalries of significance.

Was that the same Pete Molloy who played at St. Agnes H.S. with Frankie, Charlie Mahoney and Peter
Crotty ???

Princeton won The NIT in 1975. Remember going to the championship game.

 

[Las Vegan]

:{

It goes back 40 years ago but in the 1975/1976 season the troika of St. John's, Rutgers and Princeton provided some of the beat local basketball rivalry that this area has ever seen. Rutgers had a season for the ages and went undefeated into the final four winning 31 straight games before under performing in the final four and losing to both Michigan and UCLA in the now obsolete third place consolation game. They were led by a great lineup of talent including Phil Sellers, Mike Dabney, Eddie Jordan, Hollis Copeland and Jammin James Bailey.

Arguably the two toughest games of Rutger's 31 straight wins was against Princeton and St. John's. Rutgers beat a very good St. John's team headed by Frank Alagia, George Johnson, Beaver Smith and Glenn Williams by three points in the Garden late in the season. Rutgers first round game in the NCAA tournament was against the legendary Pete Carril's Princeton Tigers. The Tigers were led by a future NBA guard Armond Hill and two long range dead-eye shooting big men Frank Sowinski and Barnes Hauptfuhrer. The game was a nail biter and in the final seconds little used reserve Pete Molloy went to the line with a chance to win the game. Molloy bricked his front end of a one and one free throw with four seconds left and Rutgers survived 54-53.

Princeton was no fluke that year they went 22-5. In January the Redmen went on the road to play Princeton at Jadwin Gym and lost to the Tigers in a hard fought contest 58- 55 . Despite losing both of those close games to Princeton and Rutgers, St. John's had a great team that year and wound up 23-6. Two of their losses came at the hands of Bobby Knight's national champion Indiana Hoosiers (The last undefeated national champion in Men's D1). There was a seven point loss in the Garden to the Hoosiers followed by a twenty point loss in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

In those days the tournament field was just 32 teams and St. John's, Princeton and Rutgers were among the best in the nation. Their three epic battles against each other that season was from an era that has long past, but it would still be nice to see the locals play each other and stimulate some rivalries of significance.

Was that the same Pete Molloy who played at St. Agnes H.S. with Frankie, Charlie Mahoney and Peter
Crotty ???

Princeton won The NIT in 1975. Remember going to the championship game.[/quot

 

[Porgyman]

The benefit would be playing a first class team and school that is only a short ride for the team and the fans. On the other hand, there really isn't a reasonable payday in a game like that in a smaller campus gym both home and away.
You can probably support a Barkley game against St.Francis or even in a Garden double with Fordham/Iona/ Manhattan/ and us , but; I would rather see an annual home and home with Penn at the Palestra. Same class and challenge and with the same short ride for the fans but a bigger payday.

I'd love to go to the Palestra, that would be great.

Make it a point to go. It really is a special gym. If possible, try to catch a Big 5 game there. It doesn't matter how the teams are doing that year...it is always a great game.

 

[ras]

The benefit would be playing a first class team and school that is only a short ride for the team and the fans. On the other hand, there really isn't a reasonable payday in a game like that in a smaller campus gym both home and away.
You can probably support a Barkley game against St.Francis or even in a Garden double with Fordham/Iona/ Manhattan/ and us , but; I would rather see an annual home and home with Penn at the Palestra. Same class and challenge and with the same short ride for the fans but a bigger payday.

I'd love to go to the Palestra, that would be great.

. While I was in dental school around 1979 one of my classmates went to Duke ,the other Penn. I went w them to the Palestra to watch both teams play. It was the first college BB game I ever saw.

 

[duke]

I don't understand your logic. Why would you be willing to lose to Stephen F. Austin rather than Incarnate Word? A loss is a loss and with the shape our current program is in we cannot take cupcake schools for granted until we improve considerably. This is my wish. I've been a Redmen follower for 70 years as well as an alumni. I live and die with that team. LET'S GO REDMEN

 

[paultzman]

Btw, my one and only in person attendance at a Princeton game was the Bill Bradley v Michigan & Cazzie Russell at MSG in Holiday Festival which my guy Jerry Houston & Johnnies won.

Trivia - Who was a Sub guard on Princeton who played HS ball in CHSAA in NYC?

 

[GardenCity62]

Can't give you his name but he was Italian and from my alma mater , La Salle Academy and in that game the combination of the lift Michigan got when Bradley fouled out and was it Carmine something not handling the press ruined one of the greatest exhibitions in the old garden.
Although it did set up a great win for SJU the next night.
Was it Calzonetti?

 

[paultzman]

Can't give you his name but he was Italian and from my alma mater , La Salle Academy and in that game the combination of the lift Michigan got when Bradley fouled out and was it Carmine something not handling the press ruined one of the greatest exhibitions in the old garden.
Although it did set up a great win for SJU the next night.
Was it Calzonetti?

Nice!
Chris Chimera, sidekick of Val Reid at LaSalle.

 

[GardenCity62]

I don't recall a game.that looked more like a mismatch that that Princeton - Michlgan one. When the teams came out for lay ups the Mich front court players looked like pros compared to the Princeton front court which looked like college freshmen.
Then Princeton moved the ball setting up one screen after another for Bradley and he was magnificent that night until he committed a dumb foul around half court with about 5 min to go.

 

[paultzman]

I don't recall a game.that looked more like a mismatch that that Princeton - Michlgan one. When the teams came out for lay ups the Mich front court players looked like pros compared to the Princeton front court which looked like college freshmen.
Then Princeton moved the ball setting up one screen after another for Bradley and he was magnificent that night until he committed a dumb foul around half court with about 5 min to go.

Bradley hits a hook shot from mid range along base line right before the half. Yeah, that foul was death knell. Fun game in packed MSG.

 

[redken]

Can't give you his name but he was Italian and from my alma mater , La Salle Academy and in that game the combination of the lift Michigan got when Bradley fouled out and was it Carmine something not handling the press ruined one of the greatest exhibitions in the old garden.
Although it did set up a great win for SJU the next night.
Was it Calzonetti?

Nice!
Chris Chimera, sidekick of Val Reid at LaSalle.

Val Reid -- another one that got away.

 

[L J S A]

I don't understand your logic. Why would you be willing to lose to Stephen F. Austin rather than Incarnate Word? A loss is a loss and with the shape our current program is in we cannot take cupcake schools for granted until we improve considerably. This is my wish. I've been a follower for 70 years as well as an alumni. I live and die with that team. LET'S GO REDMEN

Go compare their reputations, records, etc. We should not be playing any non-major conference Texas schools, but if we really need to, at least play the one with the good reputation. We lost to a complete nobody.

 

[ras]

I agree. If we're going to play a cupcake, why not play a NY,Nj cupcake?

 

[oldfan61]

One of the greatest advantages we have is our location. there isn't a coach or an AD in the nation who would not consider a long weekend at Thanksgiving or Christmas in NYC and they would underwrite their own way! What the hell else do you do out of town on thanksgiving but watch the Macy Day parade?
Other teams have a real problem getting match-ups but not us.
It gives us a massive competitive advantage to spread the word about out campus, our program, and our culture all around the nation for pocket change and we should continue to do it. We should play teams from every nook and cranny in the USA every year forever for their benefit and ours.
Sure Incarnate Word whacked us upside the head pretty badly but all credit to them.They are a fine team and we weren't ready for that very good team.
I would hope we could consider the concept of SPORTSMANSHIP here. I like to win as well but you cant win them all and in the case of the "word" from Texas , those Mother's sons left here with a memory that they will never forget. They beat StJ. Good for them. Let's get better but let's not see them as bad guys. They just put on jocks and played a game.

 

[Las Vegan]

I don't recall a game.that looked more like a mismatch that that Princeton - Michlgan one. When the teams came out for lay ups the Mich front court players looked like pros compared to the Princeton front court which looked like college freshmen.
Then Princeton moved the ball setting up one screen after another for Bradley and he was magnificent that night until he committed a dumb foul around half court with about 5 min to go.

Bradley hits a hook shot from mid range along base line right before the half. Yeah, that foul was death knell. Fun game in packed MSG.

Who did the Redmen beat in the other semi-final game to get to the Michigan final?

 

[GardenCity62]

SJU beat Cincinnati in a very close game that because of Bradley's performance in the second game that night and the SJU win over Mich a day or two later made the Cin game forgettable. I cannot recall anything about that game except that it was close.

 

[redken]

SJU beat Cincinnati in a very close game that because of Bradley's performance in the second game that night and the SJU win over Mich a day or two later made the Cin game forgettable. I cannot recall anything about that game except that it was close.

I have zero recollection of that game, too. Tried the Internet, but came up empty-handed. However, the 1965 St. John's yearbook (from my freshman year) more or less summed it up like this: With the score 64-64 (following three of four FT misses by Cincinnati's Roland West) and seven seconds left to go, Jerry Houston was tripped on a drive to the basket and converted both FTs, making it 66-64. The Bearcats took the ball out with three seconds remaining, but were called for a five-second violation (largely do to Kenny McIntyre's pressure on the passer). Game over. Bob McIntyre led the scoring with 26 points. Again, like you, I have zero memory of it, probably because of the amount of attention given to the Princeton-Michigan game.