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New Princeton coach Joe Scott (left) shakes hands with former Tigers coach John Thompson at the NCAA Tourney.[Beverly Schaefer/Courtesy Princeton Athletics]

Just over 24 hours after Princeton lost men's basketball coach John Thompson III to Georgetown, it has hired a new coach.

Yesterday, the Tigers announced that Joe Scott -- head coach of Air Force last year -- will become the 27th men's basketball coach in Princeton's history.

"I am tremendously excited to announce that Joe Scott will become the next men's basketball coach at Princeton," Princeton Athletic Director Gary Walters said in a statement this afternoon. "Very few schools have the opportunity to appoint an alumnus of their university who was recognized as one of the top five coaches in the country this past season. His coaching job at Air Force was simply extraordinary."

Scott guided Air Force to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 42 years this past season.

Scott played for Princeton's legendary coach Pete Carril from 1983-1987. He later returned to New Jersey as an assistant coach for the Tigers from 1992-2000.

Thompson also served as a Princeton assistant from 1992-2000.

Scott will spend today traveling to Princeton and will be formally announced at a press conference tomorrow.

Walters added that Scott's hiring "ensures that the unique genealogy of Princeton basketball that stretches back over 70 years will continue. Each successive coach was mentored either as a player or as a coach by someone within the Princeton basketball family."

In his four years as Air Force's head coach, Scott went 51-63. This past season, he led the Falcons to a 22-7 record, the team's most wins ever.

"Joe Scott is a great leader and coach, and he's obviously turned our basketball program around," said Brigadier General Johnny A. Weida, commandant of cadets at the Academy, in a press release. "More importantly, however, he's had a huge impact on his players and the Academy in our number one mission area, developing officers of character to serve America and our Air Force.

"He's laid a solid foundation for our basketball program that will serve us well for years to come."

The Falcons have confirmed that they have hired an unnamed new coach who will be announced tomorrow.

ESPN's Andy Katz is reporting that Air Force assistant Chris Mooney will be Scott's replacement. Katz says that Mooney -- an All-Ivy player on Carril's 1994 Princeton squad -- has a clause in his contract which gives him the job if Scott should leave.

There will be a press conference at 11:30 a.m. in Colorado Springs, Colo. to make the announcement.

Scott grew up in New Jersey, attending Toms River East High School, where he scored a school record 1,550 points. He was also a football standout.

As a player at Princeton, Scott was quite successful.

He ranks fourth all-time in steals, eighth all-time in assists and 10th all-time in three-point shooting.

In his senior season, Scott was awarded the B.F. Bunn Trophy as the team's top player.

After graduating in 1987, Scott attended Notre Dame Law School. He then went on to work for the law firm of Ribis, Graham & Curtin in Morristown, N.J.

Scott's wife, the former Leah Spraragen, graduated Princeton in 1992. She was a four-year starter for the Tigers' women's basketball team.

Several reports cite that it was Mrs. Scott who urged her husband to move back to New Jersey.

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