1960–61 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team

{{short description|American college basketball season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2016}}

{{Infobox college sports team season

|year=1960–61

|team=Princeton Tigers

|sport=Basketball

|logo=Princeton Tigers logo (1904–1964).png

|logo_size=100

|image=

|image_size=150

|conference=Ivy League

|division=

|short_conf=Ivy

|CoachRank=

|APRank=

|record= 18–8

|conf_record= 11–3

|head_coach=Franklin Cappon

|head_coach2 = Jake McCandless

|captain=Donald Swan

|asst_coach1=

|asst_coach2=

|asst_coach3=

|stadium=Dillon Gymnasium

|champion=Ivy League champion

|tourney=1961 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament

|tourney_result=Regional 4th place

}}

The 1960–61 Princeton Tigers men's basketball team represented Princeton University in intercollegiate college basketball during the 1959–60 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. Franklin Cappon began the season as head coach. In January 1961, Cappon suffered a mild heart attack,{{cite news|title=Cappon Has Heart Attack|publisher=Holland Evening Sentinel|date=January 19, 1961}} and Jake McCandless took over his role as head coach following Cappon's hospitalization. The team captain was Donald Swan. The team posted a 9–2 record under Cappon and then a 9–6 record with McCandless at the helm.{{cite web|url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=3749706|title=Men's Basketball Record Book • Coaching Record & Program Facts|accessdate=September 29, 2010|date=June 12, 2009|author=Princeton Athletic Communications|website=GoPrincetonTigers.com|publisher=Princeton University}} The team played its home games in the Dillon Gymnasium in Princeton, New Jersey. The team was the champion of the Ivy League, earning an invitation to the 24-team 1961 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.{{cite book|title=2009-10 Ivy League Basketball Media Guide|page=30|website=IvyLeagueSports.com}}

After losing its first game under McCandless, the team won six of the next seven. The team posted an 18-8 overall record and an 11-3 conference record.{{cite web|url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=3749695|title=Men's Basketball Record Book • All-Time Results |date=June 12, 2009|accessdate=September 27, 2010|website=GoPrincetonTigers.com|publisher=Princeton Athletic Communications}}{{cite web|url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=10600&ATCLID=3754497|title=Men's Basketball Record Book • Men's Basketball in the Postseason|accessdate=September 27, 2010|date=June 22, 2009|author=Princeton Athletic Communications|website=GoPrincetonTigers.com|publisher=Princeton University}} The team won its NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament East region first round contest against the {{cbb link|1960|sex=men|team=George Washington Colonials|school=George Washington University|title=George Washington Colonials}} by an 84–67 margin at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 1961, before losing in the second round at the Charlotte Coliseum in the second round to the Saint Joseph's Hawks 72–67 on March 17. Then, the next night at the Coliseum in the consolation game, they lost to the {{cbb link|1960|sex=men|team=St. Bonaventure Bonnies|school=St. Bonaventure University|title=St. Bonaventure Bonnies}} 85–67.

Peter C. Campbell, who finished second in the conference to {{cbb link|1960|sex=men|team=Dartmouth Big Green|school=Dartmouth College|title=Dartmouth}}'s George Ramming in scoring title with an 18.1 points per game average in conference games, and Al Kaemmerlen were both first team All-Ivy League selections.