SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Jordan Brathwaite had a career day as the Yale men's basketball team extended its winning streak to eight with a 92–83 victory over UAlbany in the MGM Springfield Basketball Hall of Fame Classic on Wednesday evening at the MassMutual Center.
Brathwaite, named the Classic Player of the Game, led six Bulldogs in double figures, finishing with a career-high 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting. He went 4-for-6 from three, a perfect 2-for-2 at the free-throw line, and added seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
With the victory, the Bulldogs became the first Division I team to reach 11 wins. Yale had previously been tied at 10 wins with Duke.
Turning Point
After UAlbany took a 35–34 lead with 3:54 left in the first half, Yale's offense erupted. The Bulldogs rattled off a 10–0 run—sparked by six points from
Nick Townsend—to go up 44–35 with 1:03 remaining, and eventually carried a 47–37 advantage into halftime. Yale kept the pressure on after the break, with Brathwaite taking over. He scored 12 second-half points, all from beyond the arc, including a three-pointer that pushed the Bulldogs' lead to a game-high 19 points (75–56) with five minutes left. Yale never looked back from there.
Notable Performances
- Brathwaite scored 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including four threes, and added seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
- Casey Simmons tallied 16 points on 7-of-12 shooting, along with two rebounds and an assist.
- Isaac Celiscar contributed 12 points, went 8-of-11 at the line, and recorded eight rebounds and three assists.
- Townsend had 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting, paired with nine rebounds and two steals.
- Samson Aletan delivered 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting and grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
- Trevor Mullin added 11 points, went a perfect 6-for-6 from the line, and finished with five rebounds and a team-leading eight assists.
- Yale recorded 20 assists on 30 made field goals.
Hear from Coach Jones
- On the team's performance: "I thought the game went pretty much how I expected. Albany changed up their defense a lot to try to slow us down offensively. They did a really good job on offense—very patient, much more than in previous games. They started with a lot of energy, and we were fortunate to play well enough offensively to win."
- On playing in the Classic: "The meaning behind the Hall of Fame and this event is tremendous. To have our guys here is always special, and we try to give them unique experiences—this is just one of them.'"
Bulldog Notes
- Celiscar has scored in double figures for seven consecutive games.
- Townsend has recorded double-digit points in three consecutive games and collected seven or more rebounds in four straight games.
- Aletan recorded the first double-double of his career.
- Brathwaite set a career-high with 16 points and matched his career-best with four made three-pointers.
- Devon Arlington tied his career high with seven points.
- Celiscar's eight made free throws marked a career best.
- Mullin set a career high with eight assists.
- Yale has scored 80 or more points in seven games this season.
- The Bulldogs have won eight in a row.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will head to Alabama on Monday, Dec. 29. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. ET.
