Tigers earn second win, 76-70
By: Bob Nuse
Ray Robins came off the bench to score 20 points and Princeton University picked up its second win of the season, topping Monmouth, 76-70, Saturday night at Jadwin Gym.
Robins’ season-high effort helped offset a record-setting performance from Monmouth’s Rahsaan Johnson, whose 40 points were the most ever scored in a game at Jadwin Gym.
With the win, the Tigers improve to 2-5 on the season. Monmouth is now 4-3.
"I put a lot of pressure on myself to succeed, and tonight I felt a lot more relaxed out there," said Robins, who made four of his six shots from the floor and was 11-of-12 from the foul line. "It helped to get off to a good start and I was able to get to the line a few times, which helped."
Princeton led, 23-22, with 5:14 to play in the first half when Robins made a layup and foul shot to extend the lead to 26-22. Andre Logan and Ahmed El-Nokali followed with baskets to make it 30-22. By halftime, the Tigers had extended their lead to 35-25.
In the second half Princeton blew the game open with a 9-2 run that turned a 40-32 lead into a 49-32 lead with 15:46 left. Monmouth battled back to within six, at 70-64 with 17 seconds left, but never got any closer.
Johnson, a senior guard who attended the same Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C. as Princeton coach John Thompson, finished with 40 points. He made 14 of 19 shots from the floor, including three three-pointers, to set a new Jadwin Gym standard. The previous record of 39 points was set by Geoff Petrie in 1970.
"He put on a show," said Thompson, whose team will host Kansas Wednesday night at 8 p.m. "I guess it shows Gonzaga High boys can play. He did a real nice job and made a lot of contested shots."
In addition to the 20 points from Robins, the Tigers also received 12 apiece from Logan and El-Nokali. Mike Bechtold chipped in with 10 points.