Princeton shocks Arizona in another No. 15 over No. 2 upset

The greatest moment in Princeton basketball history was when legendary coach Pete Carril drew up a backdoor cut to knock off defending national champion UCLA in the first round of the 1996 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers now have another moment to show on the highlight package.

On Saturday afternoon in Sacramento, head coach Mitch Henderson led the Tigers to a mammoth 59-55 upset over No. 2 seed Arizona in the South Region.

Princeton has now had two NCAA Tournament wins as a double-digit seed since the field expanded in 1985: in 1996 and 2023 🐯@PrincetonMBB head coach Mitch Henderson was part of both victories. pic.twitter.com/6j3pTEopck

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 16, 2023

Tommy Lloyd’s second Arizona team entered the NCAA Tournament fresh off a Pac-12 Tournament title and a 28-6 record. The Wildcats own a top-10 offense and their size has overwhelmed teams all season. That was not the case today.

Princeton limited Arizona to 0.82 points per possession as the Wildcats were a woeful 3 of 16 (18.8%) from three and shot only seven free throws. The No. 15 seed was able to shrink the game (67 possessions) and did not allow the big favorite to play in transition. That allowed some pressure to enter the building.

Arizona did not score in the final 4:43 after grabbing a 10-point lead with eight minutes left in regulation. Princeton scored the final nine points of the game to take home the upset victory. For the third consecutive year, a No. 15 seed has won a first-round game. Saint Peter’s is no longer the last No. 15 seed to win a game in the NCAA Tournament.

Princeton will face No. 7 seed Missouri on Saturday in the second round.