EL PASO, Tex. – The Yale men's basketball team opened the Sun Bowl Invitational with a 74-58 victory over Akron at the Don Haskins Center. The Bulldogs improved to 6-5 on the season, while the Zips moved to 6-4.
 
Notable Stats

• Five different players scored in double figures led by an 18-point performance from Nick Townsend and a 17-point showing from Casey Simmons.
• Bez Mbeng (11), Trevor Mullin (11), and Samson Aletan (10) were also double-digit contributors.
• Yale had 42 points in the paint compared to Akron's 14.
• The Bulldogs also outrebounded the Zips, 49-26. Townsend and Simmons accounted for 24 of Yale's 49 total. 

 
Points of Emphasis

• Big, unanswered runs were something that stood out in this showing. After both sides had power pushes in the first half, Yale went into the break with a two-point lead after a late jumper by Nick Townsend with 28 seconds left in the first.
• Out of the break, the Bulldogs' offense ignited for a 16-0 run over a five-minute span to take a 17-point lead.
• The next six minutes belonged to the Zips, who clawed their way back within four points of Yale's lead.
• The Bulldogs countered with an 11-0 run – stretching their lead back to double figures once again with just over three minutes left to play. 

 
Bulldog Notes

• It was the fourth-straight double-figure game for Casey Simmons.
• Simmons finished the game with a career high 13 rebounds.
• Simmons also picked up his second career double-double for Yale. His first came on Jan. 3, 2024, against Howard where he had 11 points, 11 rebounds.
• Nick Townsend recorded his second double-double of the season, and the third of his career.
• Yale has outrebounded its opponents in seven of its 11 games this season.

 
Up Next
Yale will play the winner of the UTEP vs. Jackson State game on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 7 pm MT, 9 pm ET.