RIP Pete Carril | Syracusefan.com

RIP Pete Carril

That's too bad -- entertaining coach, with a style of play that purists can appreciate.

One of the most entertaining NCAA tournament games occurred in 1989 [99.9% sure], when Princeton almost knocked off Georgetown in the first round.

The Tigers ran circles around G'town, and were in control most of the game, but couldn't hang on at the end. Carril was a character.
 
That's too bad -- entertaining coach, with a style of play that purists can appreciate.

One of the most entertaining NCAA tournament games occurred in 1989 [99.9% sure], when Princeton almost knocked off Georgetown in the first round.

The Tigers ran circles around G'town, and were in control most of the game, but couldn't hang on at the end. Carril was a character.
There also might have been a foul on the last play. A call they didn't get.
 
There also might have been a foul on the last play. A call they didn't get.

I think Kit Mueller [again, just going from memory] might have taken a last second beat the buzzer jumper that got blocked. Could have been a call, but wasn't as you state. Higher seed got the non-call.
 
I remember that game -- it was in the Dome. The game the next round against Villanova ended on one of the most memorable games I'd ever seen. Carril vs. Massamino, so great coaching.

End of the game, don't recall the situation, but Princeton is down 2 with like 1.2 seconds to go; they have to take the ball out on the end line. Princeton calls a timeout to set up a play.

When they come out, the ref reminds the Princeton player that he can run the baseline. Hands the player the ball, and blows the whistle. The Princeton player sticks the ball out with both hands towards the Villanova player, who is jumping up and down to make the inbounds pass more difficult. Now, if Princeton had been playing Arkansas or a school like that, I have almost zero doubt that the defending player would have tried to slap it away from the inbounder... which would have been a TECHNICAL FOUL, that would have given Princeton the opportunity to tie the game up with two free throws without having to get a shot off with only about a second left to play.

But the Villanova player doesn't take the bait, so the Princeton player runs the baseline right-to-left, and the Villanova player guarding the ball on the inbounds get screened under the basket by a Princeton player, who'd started off at the opposite end of the baseline, but was clearly only there to screen. That frees the inbounder up to wind up and make an overhand through. Play got broken up, so I don't think Princeton ever got a shot up.

But what was so impressive to me as a kid was the gamesmanship behind the coaching -- Carril had drawn up multiple plays within the play, including a deception play designed to take advantage if the defense got overzealous. Very impressive.

Another thing that was impressive about seeing Princeton play live, was that in that game they had 16 assists on 17 made field goals.
 
I remember that game -- it was in the Dome. The game the next round against Villanova ended on one of the most memorable games I'd ever seen. Carril vs. Massamino, so great coaching.

End of the game, don't recall the situation, but Princeton is down 2 with like 1.2 seconds to go; they have to take the ball out on the end line. Princeton calls a timeout to set up a play.

When they come out, the ref reminds the Princeton player that he can run the baseline. Hands the player the ball, and blows the whistle. The Princeton player sticks the ball out with both hands towards the Villanova player, who is jumping up and down to make the inbounds pass more difficult. Now, if Princeton had been playing Arkansas or a school like that, I have almost zero doubt that the defending player would have tried to slap it away from the inbounder... which would have been a TECHNICAL FOUL, that would have given Princeton the opportunity to tie the game up with two free throws without having to get a shot off with only about a second left to play.

But the Villanova player doesn't take the bait, so the Princeton player runs the baseline right-to-left, and the Villanova player guarding the ball on the inbounds get screened under the basket by a Princeton player, who'd started off at the opposite end of the baseline, but was clearly only there to screen. That frees the inbounder up to wind up and make an overhand through. Play got broken up, so I don't think Princeton ever got a shot up.

But what was so impressive to me as a kid was the gamesmanship behind the coaching -- Carril had drawn up multiple plays within the play, including a deception play designed to take advantage if the defense got overzealous. Very impressive.

Another thing that was impressive about seeing Princeton play live, was that in that game they had 16 assists on 17 made field goals.

I think it was in the Hoosier Dome? But his sets were a thing of beauty, that's right. The UCLA game before it was low-scoring but still great to watch.
 
I think it was in the Hoosier Dome? But his sets were a thing of beauty, that's right. The UCLA game before it was low-scoring but still great to watch.

Sorry -- I made a mistake above. After seeing your post, I went back to look it up, since I know 100% I was at the game, and the ending of the game I described above DID NOT happen in 1996, it was 1991 [in Syracuse].

Got the details wrong. All a blur...
 
Sorry -- I made a mistake above. After seeing your post, I went back to look it up, since I know 100% I was at the game, and the ending of the game I described above DID NOT happen in 1996, it was 1991 [in Syracuse].

Got the details wrong. All a blur...
I was at the '91 game in the Dome. In the run-up to that game there was discussion of Carril's offensive philosophy. He was known for spacing and back cuts--the basics of the "Princeton Offense" that had nearly upset Georgetown and won the NIT for the Tigers a few years earlier. But the advent of the 3-point shot had led him to re-think his offensive principles. He still liked the open offense, with his center playing high and acting as a primary feeder. But he had come to appreciate the rewards of the 3-point shot. So he decided that his team would take only layups and threes. Which was hard to believe. So, nerd that I was, I decided to keep track of Princeton's shot selection vs. Villanova. And, by gosh, Carril's Tigers took only 2 or 3 shots that weren't layups or threes the entire game.

Unfortunately, 'Nova won at the end, and they got waxed 2 days later by UNC.
 
I was at the '91 game in the Dome. In the run-up to that game there was discussion of Carril's offensive philosophy. He was known for spacing and back cuts--the basics of the "Princeton Offense" that had nearly upset Georgetown and won the NIT for the Tigers a few years earlier. But the advent of the 3-point shot had led him to re-think his offensive principles. He still liked the open offense, with his center playing high and acting as a primary feeder. But he had come to appreciate the rewards of the 3-point shot. So he decided that his team would take only layups and threes. Which was hard to believe. So, nerd that I was, I decided to keep track of Princeton's shot selection vs. Villanova. And, by gosh, Carril's Tigers took only 2 or 3 shots that weren't layups or threes the entire game.

Unfortunately, 'Nova won at the end, and they got waxed 2 days later by UNC.
As someone who has never played, I learned a lot about game strategy by watching Princeton. It was easier for me to see how plays developed.
 
For years none of the high seeds wanted to play Princeton in the NCAAT. Very tough to play against.
 

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