Brown men's basketball falls to Princeton 63-53

Despite a close first half, the Bears couldn't overcome Princeton's second-half surge.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 2:31am

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The Brown men's basketball team (7-11, 1-4 Ivy) lost to Princeton (7-13, 3-2) on the road Saturday, falling 63-53 after a tightly contested first half. Brown guard Isaiah Langham '29 had a strong game, scoring 11 points, but the Bears couldn't hold off Princeton's second-half run.

Why it matters

This loss drops Brown further down in the Ivy League standings, making their path to an Ivy tournament bid more difficult. The game also highlighted the challenges Brown has faced in closing out close games this season.

The details

The first half was closely contested, with neither team able to gain a significant advantage. Brown guard Jeremiah Jenkins '28 and forward David Rochester '28 helped the Bears take an early lead, but Princeton responded each time. Langham provided a spark off the bench for Brown, but the teams went into halftime tied at 27. In the second half, Princeton pulled away, going on a 9-4 run to take a 49-41 lead with just over six minutes to play. Brown struggled to claw their way back as Princeton continued to get to the free-throw line, ultimately sealing the 63-53 victory.

  • The game was played on Saturday, January 29, 2026.
  • Brown entered the game following a loss to Cornell last weekend, which came after their first Ivy victory against Columbia.

The players

Isaiah Langham

A Brown guard who scored 11 points and was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this season.

Jeremiah Jenkins

Brown's starting guard and the Ivy League assist leader.

David Rochester

A Brown guard and forward.

Mitch Henderson

Princeton's head coach, a former player for the team and two-time winner of Ivy League Coach of the Year.

N'famara Dabo

A Brown forward who had 80 career blocks.

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What they’re saying

“I thought we played with great effort and stayed connected throughout the game. There were a lot of positives we can build on moving forward.”

— David Rochester, Brown guard and forward

What’s next

The Bears will look to bounce back with two Ivy matchups at home this weekend, facing Harvard on Friday at 7 p.m. and Dartmouth on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The takeaway

This loss drops Brown further down in the Ivy League standings, making their path to an Ivy tournament bid more difficult. The game highlighted the challenges Brown has faced in closing out close games this season, but the team remains focused on improving and taking it one game at a time.