Princeton

Rick Hielscher keyed a second-half run with nine of his 17 points, leading Princeton to a 57-44 win over Boston University last night in the third-place game of the Carrier Classic in Syracuse, N.Y. Chris Mooney added 11 points for the Tigers (2-2), who hit eight of their 22 three-point shots. In other games: Philadelphia Pharmacy 84, Gallaudet 83 - Joe Miller scored 19 points as Pharmacy (7-1) went overtime to win the Gallaudet tournament in Washington. Gettysburg 88, Haverford 72 - Mark Borden scored 18 points to lift the Bullets (3-2 overall, 1-1 league)

Temple linebackers coach Jared Backus has been named the defensive coordinator at Princeton. Backus spent three seasons on Al Golden's staff, the first two as the Owls' defensive-line coach. Backus played for current Princeton head coach Bob Surace at Springfield College. "It is a great opportunity for me and my family to come to Princeton and join the incredible football tradition here," Backus said. "I have known Bob Surace for a long time and am excited to be a part of his staff.

HARVARD remains the heavy conference favorite, but the Crimson still has two Penn/Princeton weekends to navigate. The team that emerges as the bigger challenger for the top likely will be determined tonight at the Palestra when Penn plays Princeton. Penn (10-9, 2-0 Ivy League) is playing just its second game in 16 days while Princeton (10-8, 1-1) has not played in 16 days. Each has the at-Yale/Brown games this weekend, so winning here is critical. If the Quakers can get through the weekend without losing, they will have put themselves in perfect position for the Feb. 10 home game with Harvard (18-2, 4-0)

When Princeton left the floor at halftime last night, leading Penn by 40-14, it's likely that few of the fans at Jadwin Gymnasium were thinking of the rivalry's miraculous comebacks of the past. Yet the Quakers staged an impressive rally. With 2 minutes, 14 seconds remaining, Jack Eggleston threw down a dunk to cut the deficit to 58-51. That was as close as Penn got, though. The Quakers missed their next four shots, and Princeton made its key free throws to hold on for a 68-56 Ivy League win. Unlike the teams' famous meeting at the Palestra in 1999, when Princeton rallied from a 40-13 deficit early in the second half to win, 50-49, there was no miracle.

It took 52 years for Brown to earn its first win at Princeton. Now the Bears have won two of the last three games on the Tigers' homecourt. Jason Forte scored 17 points and Luke Ruscoe added 16 as Brown upset preseason favorite Princeton, 57-52, last night in the Ivy League opener for both teams. Brown (8-7, 1-0 Ivy) took control of the game early in the second half, outrebounding and outshooting the Tigers (9-6, 0-1), who had only one Ivy League loss last season. Princeton, which had not lost an Ivy League opener since 1996, scored the last nine points of the first half to take a 30-28 lead.

PRINCETON - Sophomore guard Damion Lee finished with 21 points and Derrick Thomas supplied suffocating defense as Drexel overcame a 13-point first-half deficit and jolted Princeton, 64-57, at Jadwin Gym on Saturday afternoon. Dragons coach Bruiser Flint, whose team improved to 3-6, hopes the win is launching pad. A year ago, Drexel was 2-4 when it defeated Princeton, starting a streak in which it won 25 of its next 26 games. "From your mouth to God's ears," said a grinning Flint, when asked if this victory could trigger a similar run. "I hope so, but we have a long way to go. " Lee scored 13 of his points in the second half, including a three-pointer from the top of the key to snap a 57-57 tie with 2 minutes, 8 seconds left, helping Drexel end a two-game losing streak and preventing Princeton from (3-5)

Penn guard Charlie Copp probably put it most directly. His team is 2-2 in the Ivy League, and faces a must-win game against 4-0 Princeton tonight at rowdy Jadwin Gymnasium. "We know this is kind of the turning point of the season," said Copp, who brings the ball up the court for the Quakers. The two-time defending champion, Penn put itself in a hole by dropping close decisions at Yale and at Brown in the Quakers' first two Ivy League games. The two losses marked the first time in 15 years under coach Fran Dunphy that Penn was defeated on back-to-back days in Ivy League play.

Jason Forte scored 17 points and Luke Ruscoe added 16 as visiting Brown upset preseason favorite Princeton, 57-52, last night in the Ivy League opener for both teams. Brown (8-7, 1-0) took control of the game early in the second half, outrebounding and outshooting the Tigers (9-6, 0-1), who had only one Ivy League loss all of last season. Princeton had not lost an Ivy League opener since 1996. Brown had won only once in its previous 54 games at Princeton, last defeating the Tigers at Jadwin Gym two years ago. Princeton scored the last nine points of the first half, led by Andre Logan, who came off the bench to hit a three-pointer and feed Judson Wallace for two layups.

For a long time, Chris Mooney knew he wanted to play Ivy League basketball - he just wasn't sure where. "I couldn't make up my mind between Penn and Princeton," said the all- Catholic forward from Archbishop Ryan. "But after I made my visit to Princeton and saw the beautiful setting of the campus, I knew I'd pick Princeton. " Mooney, a smooth 6-foot, 6-inch forward who was an Inquirer second-team all-area selection and the Catholic League North's player of the year, announced Thursday night that he had committed to Princeton.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. - State police say a New Jersey man carjacked a vehicle with two children inside, then later abandoned it and stole a sport utility vehicle before leading officers on a high-speed chase through several counties. Charges were pending Saturday against 20-year-old Justin Mercer of Princeton, who was injured when the SUV crashed on Interstate 280 in West Orange late Saturday morning. The events began on Interstate 80 in Warren County, when the children's mother stopped to help Mercer, who had been involved in an auto accident.