The team posted a 21–5 overall record and a 13–1 conference record.[2] The team's January 3, 1977, victory over Notre Dame was the last home win against a ranked opponent until the 2011–12 team's defeated Harvard on February 11, 2012.[4] The team's only conference loss came in the rivalry game on January 11, 1977, against the Penn Quakers at The Palestra in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by a 43–39 margin. The team lost its next game against the St. John's Red Storm before winning twelve in a row heading into the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. The team lost its March 12, 1977 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament East Regional first-round game against the Kentucky Wildcats 72–58 at The Palestra.[2][3][5]
The team was led by first team All-Ivy League selection Frank Sowinski, who was named Ivy League Men's Basketball Player of the Year, and by Ivy League Men's Basketball Co-Rookie of the Year Bob Roma.[6] Sowinski led the league in field goal percentage with a 65.0% average.[7] His percentages of 63.2% overall and 65.0% in conference games were Ivy League single-season records that stood for two years.[8] The team was the second of nineteen Princeton teams and the second in a row to win the national statistical championship in scoring defense with an average of 51.7 points allowed.[9] That was an NCAA record (since 1965) that surpassed the team's prior season record of 52.9 and that would stand for three years.[10]
Regular season
The team posted a 21–5 (13–1 Ivy League) record.[11]
11/27 COLGATE
W
95–48
12/1 NAVY
W
52–36
12/4 (16) Maryland
L
45–58
12/11 ST. JOSEPH'S
W
46–43
12/14 Villanova
W
77–74
12/20 Rutgers
L
54–59
12/28 Ohio State !
W
67–62
12/29 St. Bonaventure !
W
59–55
1/3 (2) NOTRE DAME
W
76–62
1/7 HARVARD
W
77–45
1/8 DARTMOUTH
W
63–32
1/11 Pennsylvania
L
39–43
1/22 St. John's
L
50–75
1/26 William & Mary
W
42–38
1/29 PENNSYLVANIA
W
69–56
2/4 Yale
W
56–42
2/5 Brown
W
70–52
2/11 CORNELL
W
62–49
2/12 COLUMBIA
W
85–64
2/18 Dartmouth
W
65–45
2/19 Harvard
W
59–49
2/27 Columbia
W
66–49
2/28 Cornell
W
69–56
3/4 BROWN
W
63–40
3/5 YALE
W
61–39
3/12 (6) Kentucky @
L
58–72
! = Kodak Classic at Rochester, N.Y.
@ = NCAA first round at Philadelphia