Princeton finally wrested the Ivy League men's basketball title from four-time defending champion Penn yesterday as the Tigers played their familiar slow down game and defeated the previously favored Quakers, 54-40, at Easton, Pennsylvania.

The victory qualified the Tigers for a first-round berth in the NCAA playoffs against Brigham Young, while the Quakers will face West Virginia in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament.

Penn led only once in the entire game, winning the opening tip and scoring the game's first two points. After that, however, it was all Princeton.

The Tigers overcame the two-point deficit to gain a 24-13 lead at half-time--at one point running off 12 unanswered points.

In the second stanza, Penn could not overcome Princeton's methodical offense and staunch defense, never threatening as Princeton cruised to the 14-point victory.

Princeton's Craig Robinson led all scorers with 14 points, while teammate Randy Melville added 12 markers to aid the Tiger cause. Quaker captain Kenn Hall scored 12 points for the Quakers in the losing cause.

In men's hockey action, Providence upset Boston College, 5-2, to qualify for a spot in the ECAC Division 1 finals.

Kurt Kleindorst scored two third-period goals to pace Providence. The Friar sophomore's first goal broke a 2-2 deadlock at 4:31 and put Providence ahead to stay. Kleindorst's second goal of the game was icing on the cake after Mike Govin gave the Friars some breathing room at 10:31.

Freshman goalie Mario Troulx turned aside 37 shots for the Friars, whose record rose to 15-13-1, mishandling efforts by Paul Hammer and Bill O'Dwyer. The Eagles ended their '80-'81 campaign with a 28-3 mark.