Yale at Stony Brook
Sat., Dec. 3 – 6:30 p.m.
Stony Brook, N.Y.
TV: SNY
FloSports Video | Live Stats | Yale Game Notes
 
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – It was a very successful November for the Yale men's basketball team. The Bulldogs won seven of eight games, the only blemish a three-point loss at Colorado. Along the way, Yale captured the Rainbow Classic in Hawaii and posted four dominant victories at Lee Amphitheater.
 
Next up is what will be a challenging December. Yale plays six games this month, all on the road. The stretch begins with a visit to Stony Brook on Saturday. Tip off at Island Federal Arena is slated for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be televised regionally on SNY.
 
The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 23 in this week's College Insider mid-major poll, are coming off a record-breaking performance on Wednesday against Howard. Yale made 18 three-pointers, the most in school history, on its way to an 86-40 victory over the Bison. Seven different Bulldogs connected from long range, led by August Mahoney, who was 6-of-10 and finished with 18 points. John Poulakidas went 4-of-8 and Bez Mbeng was 3-of-5. Mbeng added eights assists as Yale had assists on 27 of its 31 field goals.
 
The Bulldogs are 4-0 at home with an average margin of victory of 46.8 points. Their overall scoring margin is +28.8 which is third in the nation through games on Thursday. Yale also is in the top 10 nationally in field goal percentage defense (7th, .346), rebounding margin (5th, +12.8), scoring defense (3rd, 51.9 ppg.) and three-point percentage defense (5th, .238).
 
Individually, two Bulldogs average double figures in scoring – Matt Knowling (18.1 ppg.) and Poulakidas (11.5 ppg.). Knowling leads the Ivy League in field goal percentage at .710, which is 10^th in the nation, and is third in the league in scoring. His 66 field goals made are the seventh most in Division I.
 
Despite losing two All-Ivy selections from last year's NCAA Tournament team, Yale continues to thrive. Over the last seven seasons, the Bulldogs have posted a 74-24 (.755) Ivy League record, won four Ivy championships, two Ivy League Tournament titles and earned four NCAA Tournament berths, including notching the first NCAA victory in school history – over Baylor in 2016.
 
Yale won 19 games a year ago, captured the Ivy League Tournament title with a thrilling victory over Princeton in the championship game and earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the third straight season.
 
Saturday's trip is a homecoming for James Jones, The Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of the Bulldogs, who is a Long Island native. He is a 1982 graduate of Half Hollow Hills High West. Jones, the second winningest coach in Ivy League history, has guided Yale to five Ivy League championships – 2002, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020 - four NCAA Tournament berths – 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022 - and seven postseason appearances. 
 
HISTORY LESSONS
 
Yale is making its second trip to Stony Brook. The Bulldogs opened their 2019-20 Ivy League championship season with a 74-69 overtime victory at Island Federal Arena.  Last year, the teams played another close game at Lee Amphitheater with the Seawolves posting an 85-81 victory. EJ Jarvis scored 13 points for Yale. The only other meeting between the teams came in 2001, an 82-62 Yale victory at the Red Auerbach Classic in Washington, D.C.
 
SCOUTING STONY BROOK
 
The Seawolves (2-5) also set a school record for three-pointers made in a game this week. Stony Brook knocked down 17 in an 89-48 win over St. Joseph's-Long Island on Tuesday. Yale is the second Ivy League opponent for the Seawolves, who lost to Brown 64-53 on Nov. 17. Stony Brook has made two trips to Florida, falling to the University of Florida to open the season on Nov. 7 and competing in Florida International's Tournament Thanksgiving weekend. Tyler Stephenson-Moore (13.7 ppg.) leads the team in scoring. Stony Brook is in its first season competing in the Colonial Athletic Conference.