The numbers: 8-5 overall, 0-0 Ivy, 141st RPI, 164th Sagarin, 166th Pomeroy

The recent results: defeated St. Joseph’s 70-62 (1/2), lost to Maine 52-50 (1/4), defeated Marist 77-58 (1/8)
The upcoming schedule: vs. Goucher (1/24), at Brown (1/29), at Yale (1/30)

Key Non-Conference Wins: at Central Michigan 71-68 (11/14), vs. Manhattan 61-54 (11/18), at St. Joseph’s 70-62 (1/2)

Offensively Challenged
In what has become a theme since the 2004-05 season, Princeton has struggled on the offensive end, recording just 93 points per 100 possessions, which ranks the Tigers 277th in Division I. The bigger issue, however, is that there is nothing that Princeton does particularly well, ranking a slightly below average 193rd in EFG percent and then a disastrous 293rd to 312th in turnover rate, offensive rebounding percentage and free throw rate. And while sophomore Patrick Saunders has impressed with a 128 offensive rating, he’s using just 16 percent of possessions when he’s on the floor, leaving junior Dan Mavraides as the only Princeton player with an above average offensive rating while using a decent amount of the team’s possessions.

Last year’s super rookie Douglas Davis struggled mightily to start the season, but has turned it around lately, pushing his offensive rating up to 97, which ranks third on the team.

Humming Along
Princeton’s highly touted rookie Ian Hummer has been the Tigers’ most productive freshman by far, but has yet to prove himself as a consistent contributor. Hummer has hit double-digits in scoring in three games this season, but has also had five games this season in which he recorded one or fewer field goals. Hummer grabs boards and picks up blocks here and there, making him a valuable defensive asset, but offensively he needs to prove to be a more consistent scorer for the Tigers. The scouting report is much the same for fellow freshman Will Barrett, who has seen far less playing time than Hummer thus far.

Shallow Bench
Princeton’s bench has logged just 26.2 percent of the team’s minutes to this point, 297th in Division I. The lack of depth isn’t currently a huge issue for the Tigers, which play at such a slow pace that fatigue is less of a concern than for other teams, but could become one during Ivy back-to-back weekends. More concerning, however, is the lack of quality offensive options for Princeton. Senior Zach Finley, Hummer and Barrett are the only consistent rotation players right now, and of the three only Hummer’s 93 offensive rating could even be considered mediocre.

Injury Report
The Tigers enter their exam break in good shape on the injury front with no key injuries expecting to lead to any missed time among Princeton’s rotation players.

Odds & ends
– Not that this should surprise anyone, but Princeton’s 61.9 possession per game tempo is 337th in Division I. Only four times in 13 games this season have the Tigers been pushed above 62 possessions in a game, and Princeton is 1-3 in those contests.

– Princeton’s 61st ranked defense has been buoyed by its impressive ability to force turnovers. The Tigers are 11th in the nation, forcing turnovers on 26 percent of opponents’ possessions. This could play an important role in deciding the two Harvard-Princeton showdowns this year, as the Crimson’s primary offensive weakness is giving the ball away too much.

– Princeton’s eight Division I non-conference wins are the most in a season since the 2006-07 campaign, in which the Tigers picked up nine. From there, though, the season devolved quickly, as Princeton won just two league games – a double-overtime win over Harvard and a victory over Columbia, both at home.