A SIDEWAYS GLANCE : PRINCETON READY FOR HAMILTON `DUEL'.

The Princeton Tigers (11-3), off to their best start in five seasons, will get a visit from the other end of the college basketball spectrum this Monday when the Hamilton Continentals (7-2), a Division III squad from Clinton, N.Y, invade Princeton's Jadwin Gymnasium.

``Now we'll be the only team in the country playing both Hamilton and North Carolina in the same season,'' said Kurt Kehl, Princeton's director of athletic communications.

Noting that the only other meeting between the two schools was won by Hamilton way back in 1907, a Princeton newspaper recently wrote, ``passions have probably cooled a bit since then, but the fact remains that the loss in Clinton, N.Y., 89 years ago has never been avenged.''

Princeton, now coached by Bill Carmody, who took over for the legendary Pete Carril after spending 14 seasons as Carril's assistant, has grown accustomed to being the fan-favored underdog in big games.

But, for one night at least, the roles will be reversed.

``When Pete Carril heard that he was going to have to play Hamilton College instead of UCLA, that's what really drove him into retirement,'' said coach Tom Murphy of Hamilton. ``He didn't want to go 0-2 against the Continentals.''

RED STORM HOME ON ROAD

Fran Fraschilla, sitting in his hotel room several hours before the start of Tuesday night's St. John's-Georgetown game, spoke about his team's winning three road games this season as opposed to winning only one road game all of last season.

``It kind of reminds me of that movie, `Hoosiers,' '' Fraschilla said. ``You know, where they walk into the big arena and check to see if the basket is 10 feet high and the court is 94 feet by 50.

``It doesn't matter if we're home or away,'' Fraschilla said. ``You still have to play the game.''