Yale at Columbia
Saturday, Feb. 12 – 2 p.m.
Levien Gym
ESPN+ Video | Live Stats | Game Notes
 
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale men's basketball team has been on quite a run over the last three weeks. The Bulldogs have won five straight games to move into first place in the Ivy League. They will look to extend the winning streak when they travel to New York to meet Columbia on Saturday. Tip off at Schiller Court at Levien Gym is slated for 2 p.m. ESPN+ will stream the game live.
 
Defense has been at the forefront of Yale's success. During the five-game winning streak, opponents are shooting 40.7 percent from the field and 30.7 percent from three-point range, while scoring just 65.8 points per game. Overall, the Bulldogs lead the Ivy League in field goal percentage defense (.416) and three-point field goal percentage defense (.308).
 
Yale also has controlled the glass during the streak, posting a +4.6 rebounding margin. The Bulldogs are 10-1 on the season when they outrebound their opponent.
 
Yale (13-9, 7-1 Ivy) is coming off an impressive 62-59 victory at Harvard on Wednesday night. Jalen Gabbidon scored 19 points, Matt Knowling added 10 and EJ Jarvis grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds to lead the way. It was the Bulldogs' second victory over the Crimson in five days. The teams also met last Saturday at the John J. Lee Amphitheater, a 58-55 Yale victory.
 
Azar Swain, who had nine points Wednesday against Harvard, leads the Bulldogs in scoring at 19.2 ppg., which is second in the Ivy League. Gabbidon (11.6 ppg.) also averages double figures in scoring. In Ivy games, three Bulldogs – Swain (18.8 ppg.), Gabbidon (14.4 ppg.) and Knowling (11.8 ppg.) average double figures.
 
Yale, the preseason Ivy League favorite, is in the midst of the most successful era in the long history of the program. Over the last 6+ seasons, the Bulldogs have a remarkable 70-22 Ivy record. During that stretch, they have won four league titles and earned three NCAA Tournament berths, including notching the first NCAA victory in school history.
 
HISTORY LESSONS
 
The Bulldogs have won seven straight games over Columbia at Levien Gym and have won 10 of the last 11 games overall, including an 83-72 victory at Lee Amphitheater on Jan. 25. Azar Swain scored a career-high 37 points, the most ever by a Bulldog in James Jones' tenure as head coach, in the first meeting. He was 14-of-20 from the field and 6-of-8 from three-point range. Jalen Gabbidon added 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting and Matt Knowling had nine points, eight rebounds and four assists. Columbia leads the all-time series 126-114. The first meeting came in 1902, a 48-3 Yale victory in New Haven.
 
SCOUTING COLUMBIA
 
The Lions have been without the services of Ike Nweke, Liam Murphy, Eddie Turner and Josh Odunowo of late due to injuries. Nweke (15.9 PPG) and Murphy (12.0 PPG) are two of the Columbia's top scorers. The Lions (4-17, 1-8 Ivy) are one of the Ivy's top three-point shooting teams, connecting on 37.2 percent of their treys, which is second in the league. There will be a familiar face on the Columbia sideline. Tobe Carberry, who spent three seasons as a member of James Jones' staff at Yale, is an assistant coach for the Lions.