Princeton Follows Up Its NCAA Shock With a Stroll to the Spherical of 16

SACRAMENTO — Blake Peters, a sophomore guard for Princeton, performs Spanish classical guitar, speaks fluent Mandarin and, it seems, is hard as nails when his Tigers have an opportunity to advance to the spherical of 16.

After enjoying solely two minutes of the primary half, Peters got here off the bench to torch Missouri on Saturday, swishing 5 3-pointers to stem each little bit of momentum Missouri appeared to muster within the N.C.A.A. males’s match.

Peters completed with a season-high 17 factors, teammate Ryan Langborg had a game-high 22, and the Tigers didn’t should work to the sport’s ultimate horn, not like throughout their astounding unseating of second-seeded Arizona on Thursday.

As a substitute, as Princeton put the ultimate prospers on its commanding efficiency, the mantra coming from the Tigers’ cheering part in Golden 1 Middle was loud and clear: “Candy 16! Candy 16!”

From underdogs seeded fifteenth to the bullies on the block in two days, Princeton dominated No. 7 seed Missouri for many of the 40 minutes performed of their second-round sport. The college advances to the spherical of 16 for the primary time since 1967.

The uncommon alternative was made actual by dazzling taking pictures, particularly compared to the struggles Princeton overcame towards Arizona. The Tigers tripled their 3-point output from that sport — making 12 whole towards Missouri, in contrast with 4 towards Arizona — and performed with poise and presence all through the sport.

Princeton outrebounded (44-30) and outshot (44 p.c to 41 p.c) Missouri. Princeton matched its 3-point whole from the Arizona sport properly throughout the confines of the primary half.

Princeton’s gamers, carrying bow-tie patches on their uniforms to honor the late Corridor of Fame Coach Pete Carril, whose spirit the Tigers nonetheless carry, opened a 14-point lead at one level within the first half and frequently blunted Missouri’s full-court strain.

Then, within the second half, simply when Missouri threatened, Peters took over. His first 4 3-pointers of the second half helped Princeton push its result in 62-45.

On the good time, Peters unleashed. Peters, who’s in his second season at Princeton, didn’t see a lot courtroom time as a freshman. Accordingly, seeking to enhance and hoping for extra enjoying time, he went to Israel final summer season and helped the U.S. workforce win a gold medal on the Maccabiah Video games.

By the point he was completed with Missouri, the opposite Tigers regarded dispirited, and the Princeton cheering part started sensing the end.

Even the enormous overhead scoreboard that confirmed the tip of Arkansas’ upset of Kansas throughout a timeout supplied a really transient respite for Missouri. Although the Missouri cheering part gave Kansas’ loss a standing ovation, it was again to actuality as quickly because the timeout in Golden 1 Enviornment ended, and shortly sufficient, Missouri’s cheering part once more was seated with little extra to rejoice.