It was the stuff of legend: a fitting end to a dramatic regular season that capped off one of the most incredible turnarounds in Princeton's storied athletic history. To be sure, when junior guard Doug Davis dribbled right, leaned left and let his shot fly — sending Princeton to the NCAA Tournament just four years after it sat at the bottom of the Ivy League — the world took notice. Princeton basketball was back.
To put the moment in perspective, we reached out to alumni and current students to get their reactions to Davis' game-winning, buzzer-beating shot. Here's what they had to say:
"Princeton basketball was why I wanted to go to Princeton before I knew of some of the better reasons. And I got to experience some of the best. David beat Goliath in the first round of the 1996 NCAAs, with Princeton back-dooring a victory over defending champion UCLA. But that game never happens without the Ivy playoff win over Penn, when the magic of that season really gelled. So seeing Sydney Johnson celebrate another big win, an ugly shot turning into a beauty, to beat a rival -- that’s tradition living on."
— Rick Klein ’98, ABC News senior Washington editor for "World News" and former 'Prince' editor-in-chief
"Hoooooooaaaaaaawwww!!!!"
— Gary Walters '67, Director of Athletics and point guard for Princeton's 1965 NCAA Final Four team
"I was watching on my laptop at home by myself (my wife, Celine Gounder ’97, is on a work trip in Africa), and I screamed like a little kid when the shot went in. It sent me back 15 years. I was a fan at the Princeton-Penn playoff in 1996, wearing a black and orange fright wig and face paint, and the win that night was amazing — as was the upset of UCLA a few days later in Indianapolis (where I was working for the 'Prince'). Recently, I have spoken to a few reporters for stories about the 15-year anniversary of the Princeton-UCLA game, and this victory was easily the biggest thrill for a Princeton basketball fan since then. The tie between the two milestones is, of course, [men's basketball head coach] Sydney Johnson ’97, who deserves so much respect for what he has built as the Princeton coach. I can't think of a better guy in college basketball, and I'm really happy for him, his staff and his players right now."
— Grant Wahl ’96, senior writer for Sports Illustrated and former 'Prince' sports editor
— Ryan Dahn '11, 'Prince' sports columnist
"When [Davis] hit the shot, I ran down the halls of my house yelling at the top of my lungs. I'm so happy and proud of the team for sticking together and getting it done."
— Marcus Schroeder ’10, former men's basketball co-captain and point guard
"Chills went down my spine as [Davis] made that shot. Then a tear to my eye listening to Syd talk about how he 'loves, loves, loves Princeton basketball.'"
— Gabe Lewullis '99, former men's basketball forward who scored the game-winning shot against UCLA in the 1996 NCAA Tournament
"When Davis’ initial shot attempt was blocked, I looked up at the clock and saw that there were 2.8 seconds left in the game. I thought to myself, 'We’re either about to lose, and it’s going to suck. Or I’m about to experience the best moment of my life.' I thought he was going to attack the rim off the in-bounds, but the jump shot was probably a better option considering what a good shooter he is. And if he'd attacked the rim and gotten a foul called, it wouldn't have been half as cool — the purest way to win a game is on a jumper. The fact that he had the composure to pump fake and then get a shot off in time was sensational. When the ball went in, I was utterly shocked. I heard myself screaming 'Go! Go! Go!' at the three rows of fans in front of me and before I knew it I was lying on my stomach next to sophomore center Brendan Connelly trapped in the pile. No doubt the best moment of my time my life, and probably the only thing I’ll remember about Princeton 60 years from now."
— Vikram Rao ’11, former executive editor for sports
"The only league without a conference tournament just produced the best moment of Championship Week. #ifimaysayso"
— Noah Trister ’01, Associated Press sports writer and former 'Prince' sports editor, via Twitter
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