The physical, swarming defense from A&M gave the Bulldogs issues all night long while big man Pharrel Payne terrorized Yale on the offensive end, finishing with 25 points and 10 rebounds in a dominant performance.

“I thought they [Texas A&M] played a great game,” head coach James Jones said after the game. “Really good group of young men… In terms of our team, I couldn’t be prouder of our effort today. It wasn’t our best performance. For us to be successful in a game at this level, a lot of things have to go right. We have to make our free throws. We have to take better care of the ball. We didn’t do those things tonight.”

Star Yale guard John Poulakidas ’25 seemed to be the only Eli who could consistently find the bottom of the basket, posting 23 points in his final collegiate game.

However, some unexpected players came out of the woodwork for the Bulldogs today: Isacc Celiscar ’28 and Riley Fox ’28, both first years on the team. 

Celiscar has been known to stay calm under pressure; that is precisely what he did today. The first-year put up 10 points coming in from the bench, making several baskets under pressure from the paint. 

Fox was another helping hand, subbing in for starter Casey Simmons, putting up 6 points for Yale. 

“Both players are going to be really good for us, as well as Jordan Brathwaite, who you got a little glimpse of,” Jones said. “Next year and beyond I expect those guys to be part of our program and sitting up here with us the next time we’re in the NCAA tournament.”

As for the rest of the team, they struggled to connect and keep possession of the ball, an issue we haven’t seen much this season. The combination of nerves and an incredibly physical opponent seemed to get the best of the Elis today. 

Fouls also hindered the Bulldogs, with the physical style of the Aggies putting several Bulldogs into trouble and forcing them to the bench. 

The team went in hoping for an upset, but that’s ultimately not how the cards shook out today. The Bulldogs fought until the end, putting up points in the last 30 seconds; however, the gap had already widened too much.

This season was one for the team’s four seniors — Poulakidis, Mbeng, Jack Malloy ’25 and team captain Teo Rice ’25 – to be proud of, making it to March Madness for a second consecutive year. 

“We built a brotherhood here,” Poulakidis said after the game, tearing up. “Thinking that this is the last game I’m going to put a Yale jersey on with Bez Mbeng just breaks my heart. It just breaks my heart… I’m so grateful for Yale for giving me everything that it has. I’m grateful to Coach Jones for everything he’s given me. It’s just a brotherhood. All the trips, the bus rides, the dinners, the early mornings, the late nights. Everything.”

Spencer King | spencer.king@yale.edu

Sienna Tejpaul | sienna.tejpaul@yale.edu 

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The No. 13 Bulldogs are coming into the game after winning the Ivy League Championship versus Cornell, ready to leave it all out on the court as they take on the No. 4 Aggies. 

“People don’t think we’re any good,” Yale head coach James Jones said Wednesday. “If you read the name on the chest and you see an Ivy League school, you’re supposed to be X, Y or Z, but it’s a misnomer. We feel like we can compete with anybody.” 

Despite their clear status as underdogs, there is reason to believe Yale may pull off the upset. According to March Madness brackets submitted to ESPN, Yale is predicted as the most likely 13 seed vs. 4 seed upset in the first round, with 23 percent of brackets projecting the Bulldogs to win. 

This is Yale’s second consecutive year winning the Ivy Championship and making it to March Madness. Last year, the Bulldogs pulled off a major upset against Auburn during the first round. 

Looking at the Aggies current team, they are a force to be reckoned with. Wade Taylor IV, Zhuric Phelps and Andersson Garcia are some of the stars for the Aggies this season. Taking a look at their strengths, these players match up well with the Bulldogs star trio, John Poulakidas ’25, Bez Mbeng ’25 and Nick Townsend ’26. 

Taylor IV and Poulakidas are known for their sharp shooting ability, Phelps and Mbeng for their defensive prowess, and Garcia and Townsend for their all out hustle and rebounding. 

Fans should also keep an eye out for what will be a rebounding battle between two of the best teams in the nation on the glass. Texas A&M is the best offensive rebounding team in the country, pulling down an impressive 42 percent of their missed shots. However, Yale stands out as a team that may matchup well against the Aggies, ranking 18th in the nation in defensive rebounds per game and 14th in rebounding margin. 

“They’re tenacious, they’re physical, they’re strong,” Jones said of the Aggies. “They go after the ball like nobody I’ve seen in a long time. So boxing out is going to be truly important for us.

Another statistic to watch during the game will be how well Yale shoots from three-point range, as it is often the long ball that powers upsets in March. The Bulldogs shoot 38.5 percent from three, good for 9th in the country, and the team will likely need that to match that number to keep up with their SEC opponent. 

Yale and Texas A&M have not faced each other since 1975 when A&M won the only match up in history. The Aggies have not taken the court since a double overtime loss to the University of Texas in the SEC Tournament on March 13. 

The game will take place at the Ball Arena in Denver. Tip off will be at 5:25 p.m. local time or 7:25 p.m. EST.

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The SEC opponent is far from the Ivy League that Yale dominated en route to regular season and tournament championships, so let’s take a look at how Texas A&M plays and how the Bulldogs can match up with them.

Offensive Rebounding

The thing that stands out the most when scouting the Aggies is their prowess on the offensive glass. Texas A&M leads the nation in offensive rebounding, pulling down 42 percent of their missed shots and leading to second possessions. 

Averaging 16.19 offensive rebounds per game, the Aggies have four players with 70 or more this season, showing how much of a team effort offensive rebounding is for the team. 

One interesting part to note on this point though is the lack of a towering big man for the Aggies, something typical of most Power 5 teams. In fact, the tallest player in the Texas A&M starting lineup is forward Henry Coleman III who only checks in at 6’8”. Beyond that, 6’9” Pharrel Payne averages 19.8 minutes a game but is the tallest player head coach Buzz Williams is likely to insert into the game.

This will leave Yale center Samson Aletan ’27 as the tallest player on the court any time he checks in at 6’10” and he’ll be crucial on the boards for the Bulldogs. 

Shooting Woes

Balancing out those impressive offensive rebounding numbers is the fact that Texas A&M gives itself plenty of opportunities to practice that. The Aggies shoot only 41.64 percent from the field, a number that ranks No. 322 in the nation. 

The numbers are similarly grim for the Aggies from three, as they rank 316th in the country at 31 percent. Star point guard Wade Taylor IV is the team’s biggest threat from deep, shooting 33 percent from three on the season and leading the team in makes. 

For comparison, Yale’s starting lineup features four players shooting over 37 percent from three and the team ranks 9th in the nation in three point percentage at 38.5 percent.

Getting to the Line

While A&M struggles shooting from the floor, they also spend much of their games at the free throw line. The Aggies rank 11th in the country averaging 25 free throw attempts a game, making more than 17 a game. 

A byproduct of their strong rebounding and aggressive driving on offense, the Aggies frequently put their opponents in foul trouble and earn chances to score free points.  

The Gig ’Em Gameplan

For the Aggies, don’t expect any of this to change as they enter the NCAA Tournament. Taylor IV will drive the offense, setting up both himself and his teammates on the offensive end. While the shooting may not be sharp, Texas A&M will rely on second-chance points after crashing the boards and looking for contact to get to the free throw line. Defensively, the Aggies will be active and look to challenge Yale all over the floor. 

As of Wednesday night, ESPN Analytics gives Texas A&M a 78.2 percent chance of winning.

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Yale (22–7, 13–1 Ivy) defeated Cornell (18–11, 9–5 Ivy) 90–84 in the Ivy League Championship, officially securing their spot in March Madness for the third time in four years.

“Third time in four years. We are ready to take on anyone in March Madness,” Captain Teo Rice ‘25 told the News after the win.

It wasn’t an easy day for the Bulldogs, as they had to survive multiple offensive surges from the Big Red, but in the end, Yale’s star trio of First Team All-Ivy players was too much for the crew from Ithaca. 

The Bulldogs trailed at the game’s beginning, only securing their first lead as the first half came to a close with an electric basket from Casey Simmons ’26. 

The day started out shakey for the Bulldogs’ top scorer, John Poulakidas ’25. Nevertheless, fellow all-Ivy first-teamers Nick Townsend ’26 and Bez Mbeng ’25 were right there to back him up with strong performances on both ends of the floor. 

As the half came to a close, the Bulldogs offense went on a 12-point run and held a 37-32 lead.

“It was a very physical game, especially in the first half,” former Yale President Peter Salovey told the News. 

In the second half, the Bulldogs appeared to be running away with the game, getting out to a 16-point lead.

Much of this damage early in the half came from Poulakidas, who hit four-second half threes and finished with 25 points on 5-9 from three-point range. 

But the Big Red stormed back, going on a 14-2 run and closing the lead to two points midway through the second half. 

Clutch free throw shooting from Simmons and Poulakidas, along with some big buckets from Townsend, helped Yale pull away in the closing minutes. 

While the story of the game was Yale’s stars, the depth of the Bulldogs’ bench played a critical role in the victory. There were important minutes on the court from players who might not typically see as much of the floor in such a big game.

Leading this was Trevor Mullin ’27, who came in and made two big threes when Yale needed them most on his way to an impressive eight points off the bench. Also chipping in was Jack Molloy ’25, a senior big man who came in and kept Yale afloat while Simmons and Samson Aletan ’27 struggled with foul trouble.

Tonight at 6:00 pm, the Bulldogs will learn who they go up against in the first round of March Madness when the official bracket is released.

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After the Bulldogs held the lead throughout nearly the entire game, the Tigers came back fiery late in the second half. With under three minutes left, Princeton took the lead for the first time all game 54–53. 

“Our guys did a great job of fighting to the end,” Nick Townsend ’26 said in his post-game interview, describing the game as a “dog fight” for all the players. This star junior kept his cool and came up with 11 rebounds, the most on the floor today. 

Despite going 3-15 from three, the Bulldogs did just enough to get by. 

Poulakidas led the Bulldogs in points once again today, putting up 13, and was the only Eli to make a three all day. Dangerous and quick on the floor, he was a nightmare for the Tigers to guard.

Late in the game, three-time Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year and 2024-2025 Ivy League Player of the Year Bez Mbeng ’25 showed what he does best. After Princeton clawed back to 54–53, the Tigers were determined to keep the momentum going and run away with it. Mbeng, however, had a different plan. 

The game came down to what many say are the best three players in the Ivy League, with First Team All-Ivy selections John Poulakidas ’25 and Mbeng leading Yale late game, and Xaivian Lee trying to carry Princeton on in the tournament. 

First, it was Mbeng’s turn as he converted a tough basket on which he was fouled and then sank the following free throw. Then, Poulakidas and Lee both traded long, contested threes that saw Yale sitting with the lead with a minute to go. 

However, that last minute would prove to be a scary one for Bulldogs fans. Following a massive blocked layup by Samson Aletan ’27, the Bulldogs decided to stall, aiming to leave as little time for Princeton as possible. That strategy went wrong once Yale failed to get any shot off and Princeton was given the ball on a shot clock violation down two, with six seconds remaining. 

This all set up a massive few final seconds play in which everyone in the gym knew that Lee would get the ball and Mbeng would be on him. In the end, it was Mbeng who won the game for Yale, forcing Lee to take an off-balance three that clanked off the rim and fell to the court. 

The Ivy Defensive Player of the Year snuffed out multiple drives from Princeton’s top scorers, including Xavian Lee, quickly killing their stride. The Tigers regained possession but just couldn’t capitalize, leaving the score 59–57 when the final buzzer rang.

Both teams fought hard, but Yale will have to focus on being that second-half team they showed us they could be later in the regular season. This game was a reminder not to slip into their old habit of taking their foot off the gas in those last few minutes.

Read the News’ live coverage of today’s game here.

Tomorrow, on Sunday, Yale will face the winner of No. 2 Cornell vs No. 3 Dartmouth who play at 2 p.m. today in Providence.

Tip off for the Championship is set for noon tomorrow and will be streamed on ESPN+ with live updates from the News. 

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“We keep doing things that we haven’t done before,” head coach James Jones said of his team’s accomplishments. “I don’t remember going undefeated at home ever before. We won the league outright with three games to go. It’s just special, it doesn’t happen very often.” 

Across both games the Bulldogs showed off the depth of their roster, with a number of players contributing on the stat sheet. Leading the way against Cornell was Nick Townsend ’26, who has been consistent for Yale all year and poured in 24 points in 36 minutes, including four three-pointers. Then, the next night it was a return to the John Poulakidas ’25 show, with the senior sharpshooter putting up 28 points to push past the Lions.  

The win on Saturday night was particularly special for the four seniors who played the final home game of their careers against Columbia: Poulakidas, Bez Mbeng ’25, Jack Molloy ’25 and Teo Rice ’25. The four seniors all started the game together as a nod from Jones to all they’ve accomplished in their time in New Haven. 

“This class I think has been a group that I’ve believed in wholeheartedly since my first week here,” said Rice, who is also the team captain. “It was never clear that we were going to accomplish great things, and we still have lots more to accomplish. I just feel lucky and indebted to the people around me.”

Mbeng, in particular, left his mark on Senior Night, putting up his second triple-double of the year with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The Yale point guard is now one of only two players in the nation to post multiple triple-doubles this season, as Sean Smith of Western Illinois also has two. 

Clinching the top seed in Ivy Madness means the Bulldogs now get to sit back and watch how the chaos unfolds for the remaining three seeds in the tournament. With three games remaining, five teams are competing to qualify, with only Penn and Columbia out of contention.

One thing that continues to set the Bulldogs apart all season has been rebounding and the offensive play of Poulakidas. Yale currently ranks tenth in the nation in rebounding with an 8.4 rebound margin, while Poulakidas has shown an ability to score hard baskets against any defense. 

“I’m extremely hard on myself,” said Poulakidas of his mindset. “Coach Jones tells me everyday that I have to be nicer to John Poulakidas but I think that that mindset has taken me to where I am now.”

The Bulldogs will begin the final stretch of their season this weekend when they go on the road to take on second place Dartmouth.

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Over the weekend, the Bulldogs beat Penn (6–16, 2–7 Ivy) and Princeton (16–8, 5–4 Ivy), marking the best start to an Ivy season in Yale history, while also already securing their spot in the Ivy Madness four-team playoff. 

Moreover, at the Yale-Princeton game, a near-capacity crowd at JLA remained loud until the very last whistle, leaving Yale head coach James Jones hoping to see more like it for the Bulldogs’ last two home games of the season next weekend.

“This is what college basketball is supposed to be like,” Jones said. “You’re looking at a team that just did something that no other Yale basketball team has done. We should have a crowd like this in every game that we play and we don’t. Again, sometimes you feel underappreciated of the product we have.”

The weekend started with a surprisingly close win over Penn, with the Bulldogs finishing only one point ahead of the Quakers in a 72-71 game. The Bulldogs were projected to beat the Quakers by a mile as they are currently sitting at number one in the Ivy League while their opponents are second to last. 

Yale struggled to contain Penn’s top scorer, Sam Brown, who put up 23 points, a significantly higher number than the Bulldogs usually allow a single player to drain. Brown also outscored the Bulldog’s top scorer, Bez Mbeng ’25, who only put up 18. John Poulakidas ’25, a star for the Bulldogs this year, put up 10 points, lower than usual for him.

Despite these shortcomings, the Bulldogs held the lead for the majority of the game, only allowing the score to narrow at the end of the second half. Penn took the lead for the first time with under two minutes left to play after Brown hit a three-pointer making the score 71-69. 

The last minute of play was filled with intensity as Yale scrambled to regain the lead. In the last eight seconds, Bulldog freshman Isaac Celiscar ’28 drowned a lay-up, assisted by Poulakidas. Celiscar was able to keep his cool and perform when the stakes were high, a particularly positive sign as the Bulldogs were headed into their most important game of the year against Princeton only a few days later. 

Saturday night was the scene of one of the most anticipated games in recent history. Heading into the game with a two-game lead over the rest of the Ivy League, the Bulldogs had a chance to clinch a berth in Ivy Madness with five games remaining on their schedule, and they played like they knew it. 

After a brief run by Princeton to start the game, the Bulldogs completely took over and dominated both ends of the floor en route to an 84-57 win that saw Yale take multiple 30-point leads throughout. 

While the offense was strong, with four players scoring double digits, it was the defense that truly sent Princeton packing. 

The Tigers often struggled to find open shots, with all five Yale defenders on the court staying active and denying any clear looks at the basket. By the end of the game, the Bulldogs had held Princeton to a dismal 26.8 percent field goal percentage and an even worse 22.9 percent three-point percentage.

Leading the way, as he always does on defense, was Mbeng, who drew the assignment of Princeton star guard Xaivian Lee all night. 

“[Lee is] a super talented player of course, but I view every matchup the same,” said Mbeng. “I don’t care who’s on the other side, I want to dominate you, especially on the defensive end. Y’all know I take pride in that, and he’s a very talented player, but I don’t care who I’m up against, I want to dominate that dude.”

Lee ended the night with 19 points but appeared uneasy for much of the game, unable to find the open space he usually does on the dribble and doing most of his damage on off-ball screens that forced Yale to switch a different defender onto him. 

The Bulldogs will take the floor at John J. Lee Amphitheater next on Friday when they welcome fourth-place Cornell and will try to push their home record to 10–0 on the season. 

Ben Raab contributed reporting.

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But first, they’ll have to get through Penn (6–14, 2–5 Ivy) on Friday night. Yale took down the Quakers 90–61 in their Feb. 1 matchup, and are listed as a whopping 18 point favorite ahead of Friday’s matchup. 

If the Bulldogs can take care of business against Penn, they’ll remain undefeated heading into a much tougher Saturday game against the Tigers.

Yale currently sits two games ahead of Princeton, with a perfect 7–0 record within Ivy League play. The Tigers on the other hand sit at 5–2, having lost to Yale already earlier this season. With these two teams at one and two in the league, their second matchup is likely the most important game remaining in regular season play. 

Round One

The last time these two faced off in New Jersey, John Poulakidas ’25 put on a show that made the Princeton crowd go silent. One single fadeaway was enough to kill the Tigers’ momentum and propel the Bulldogs to the top of the scoreboard.

Defensively, Bez Mbeng ’25 and Nick Townsend ’26 were all over Caden Pierce and Xaivian Lee, the Tigers’ star shooters. The Bulldogs held Pierce to just five points and Lee to two, effectively shutting down the Tiger attack.

Containing Lee

The Princeton offensive game plan isn’t a difficult one to figure out, as the Tigers run everything through star guard Xaivian Lee. The shifty guard has the ability to change a game in an instant and many teams end up having to double-team him to try to prevent that. 

However, the Bulldogs have the unique luxury of rolling out the best defensive player in the Ivy League: Bez Mbeng. Mbeng dominated the matchup in the first meeting between the two and is sure to relish the chance to solidify his case for a third consecutive Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year award against Lee. 

Home Cooking

The John J. Lee Amphitheater has been a difficult place for opponents all year, picking up a reputation as one of the hardest gyms to play at in the Ivy League. Carrying a perfect 7–0 home record into this weekend, the team is well aware of the crowd they’re sure to draw on Saturday night.

“Our home environment is unrivaled in the Ivy League and it is because of the awesome fans and supporters of the team,” fan favorite Jack Molloy ’25 said. “They pack JLA, and we thrive off of the energy that the crowd brings every weekend.”

Poulakidas Turns Up The Heat

In college sports, nothing is certain. Yet in this season, one of those near certainties is John Poulakidas. He’s been consistent all season long and is sure to do damage with the three-ball. 

Shooting more than 45 percent from three on the season, Poulakidas seems to be gathering strength even after being named last week’s Ivy League Player of the Week. The 6’6” senior has gone over 20 points in each of Yale’s last three games and will look to keep his form going on Saturday night. 

Primetime Coming Soon

With all of the makings of a classic, this Saturday is sure to be a showdown that can’t be missed. With all presale student tickets sold out and a near-capacity crowd expected, the John J. Lee Amphitheater will open 30 minutes earlier than typical in order to try to fit everyone in. 

For those unable to attend in New Haven the game will also be televised nationally on ESPNU.

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The game’s story was one of dominant individual performances, with Bez Mbeng ’25 dropping only the second triple-double in program history. Mbeng finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. The defensive star also added five steals and a block to put the finishing touches on his strong stat line. 

“It’s outstanding, what he’s capable of doing,” Head Coach James Jones said to Yale Athletics of Mbeng’s performance. “And that doesn’t talk about what he did on the defensive end, guarding their best player and holding him to 6-for-14.”

Mbeng wasn’t alone in breaking records, as two other Bulldogs also set career highs in points against the Big Red.

John Poulakidas ’25 continued his stellar season with a career-record 32 points, while Nick Townsend ’26 did the same with 25 of his own. 

What separates this season for Poulakidas is his performances outside of the Ivy League, as he has performed at a nationally high level. The lefty sniper currently ranks eighth in the nation in 3-point percentage at 45.38 percent and 10th in points per game at 20.5.

The focus for the Bulldogs needs to remain high as they turn to the second half of their conference season and look to stay on top of the standings. Princeton and Cornell follow Yale in conference standings at 5–2 in Ivy play while Dartmouth holds fourth place at 4–3.

The Bulldogs have a big weekend coming up with a Friday game against Penn before a Saturday night showdown with Princeton.

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Playing in front of a near-capacity crowd, the Bulldogs jumped out to a 17-5 lead in under six minutes and never looked back.

Leading the way for Yale was Nick Townsend ’26, who posted a career-high tying 22 points. Bez Mbeng ’25 contributed 12 of his own points, which put him over 1,000 in his career. 

The win was big both on the scoreboard and in the standings, as Princeton (14–5, 3–1 Ivy) lost to Cornell. That loss and the Yale win moved the Bulldogs into sole possession of first place in the Ivy League. The Bulldogs also have yet to lose at home this season, with a perfect 7–0 record at home.

With the crowd roaring, the Bulldogs kept their composure and their foot on the pedal as the score climbed steadily the whole game. Samson Aletan ’27 was a huge part of the Bulldogs’ momentum, coming up with big dunks in both the first and second half. 

Not only the leading scorer, Townsend also ended the game with the most rebounds, posting twelve on the stats sheet. His hustle on both sides of the court kept the Bulldogs in the game and made sure that Harvard never came close to overtaking them. 

In the second half, the Crimson never got closer than 15 points and the Bulldogs’ depth carried many of the minutes before the close of the game. 

The two teams will face off again in Cambridge later this season but for now, the sole focus of the Bulldogs will be next Saturday’s visit to Princeton. 

The Yale-Princeton game will take place on Friday at 2 p.m.

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