NEW HAVEN, Conn. – After last hosting a home game on Dec. 7, the Yale men's basketball team returns to John J. Lee Amphitheater this weekend, taking on Cornell on Saturday, Jan. 17, followed by Columbia on Monday, Jan. 19. Both games are slated to tip off at 2 p.m.
Cornell at Yale
Saturday, Jan. 17 – 2 p.m.
John J. Lee Amphitheater
New Haven, Conn.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Yale Game Notes
Columbia at Yale
Monday, Jan. 19 – 2 p.m.
John J. Lee Amphitheater
New Haven, Conn.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Yale Game Notes
Last Time Out
- Three Bulldogs notched double figures, but it wasn't enough as Princeton used a big second half to take down Yale, 76-60, on Saturday at Jadwin Gymnasium.
- After Jordan Brathwaite knotted the score at 36 with 10:11 remaining in the second half, Princeton answered with a five-point surge to reclaim a 41–36 lead. Brathwaite responded with a layup, but the Tigers quickly struck back with a three-pointer.
- Yale then put together four consecutive points to trim the deficit to 44–42, but Princeton then knocked down another three to extend the margin to 47–42.
- The teams exchanged baskets over the next few trips before the Tigers widened the gap to 11, leading 59–48 with 3:33 to play. Princeton sealed the victory at the free-throw line, sinking six straight to go up 70–57 with 56 seconds remaining and never looking back.
Bulldog Notes
- Three Bulldogs are averaging double-digit points: Nick Townsend (16.3 ppg), Isaac Celiscar (12.9), and Riley Fox (12.7 ppg).
- Yale is sixth in the nation in three-point percentage (40.3), and 16th in assist/turnover ratio (1.72).
- The Bulldogs are second in the Ivy League in team free throw percentage (77.0).
- Townsend is fifth in the conference in scoring (16.3 ppg) and third in rebounding (7.5 rpg).
- Samson Aletan is sixth in the league in rebounding (6.1 rpg), and leads the conference in blocks (1.9 bpg) and field goal percentage (61.8).
- Brathwaite is fourth in the Ivy League in three-point field goal percentage (47.9).
- Townsend is also second in the conference in assists, averaging 4.1 per game.
- Townsend is at 934 career points, 66 shy of the 1,000-point milestone.
- Townsend has recorded double-digit points in six consecutive games.
- Aletan has notched double-digit points in back-to-back games and eight or more rebounds in four of the last five games.
- Fox has tallied double-digit points in 10 games this season.
Season Notes
- Townsend was tabbed a Field of 68 Midseason Mid-Major All-American on Dec. 27.
- Townsend was named to the 2025-26 Lou Henson Early Season Watch List on Dec. 18.
- The Bulldogs were ranked No. 2 with a first-place vote in the Mid Major Top 25 on Dec. 15.
- Yale tallied a program-record 117 points in a victory over SUNY Maritime on Dec. 2.
- Townsend was named USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week on Dec. 2.
- Townsend was tabbed Ivy League Player of the Week on Dec. 1.
- Yale was ranked No. 3 with a first-place vote in the Mid Major Top 25 on Dec. 1.
- Head Coach James Jones earned his 425th career victory at Vermont on Nov. 30.
- The Bulldogs were ranked No. 4 in the Mid Major Top 25 on Nov. 26.
- Yale was crowned Paradise Jam Champions on Nov. 24.
- Townsend was tabbed Ivy League Player of the Week on Nov. 10.
- Yale was ranked No. 5 in the Preseason Mid Major Top 25 on Oct. 27.
- The Bulldogs were unanimously selected to finish first in the Ivy League Preseason Poll on Oct. 23.
- Townsend was tabbed to the Field of 68 Mid-Major Preseason All-American First Team on Oct. 10.
- Jones was appointed to the NABC Board of Directors on Sept. 3.
Cornell Rewind
- The Big Red and Bulldogs last met in the Ivy League Tournament championship game, with Yale winning by a score of 90-84.
- In the victory, John Poulakidas paced the Bulldogs with a stellar 25-point performance to help punch Yale's ticket to March Madness for the fourth time in the past five seasons.
- Townsend also tallied double figures in the victory with 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting and added four assists and five rebounds.
- Trevor Mullin had eight points, six of which came on clutch threes in the second half.
Scouting the Big Red
- The Big Red enters with a 7-8 record (0-2 Ivy).
- Cornell is coming off a 102-91 loss to Dartmouth on Saturday.
- In the defeat, the Big Green had five players in double figures and shot nearly 56% percent from the floor, hitting 14 three-pointers and turning the ball over just five times.
- A top offensive team from beyond the arc, Cornell made just 9-of-32 shots from deep while shooting 47% overall.
- Jake Fiegen paced Cornell with a career-high 33 points, shooting 12-of-20 from the field and 5-of-11 from three. Cooper Noard also had a strong performance with 26 points, including a perfect 9-of-9 effort at the free throw line, with four assists and three rebounds.
- Yale won all three meetings between the teams last season, lead the all-time series 126-113, and have won four straight and seven of the past eight meetings.
Columbia Rewind
- The Lions and Bulldogs last met on Feb. 22, with Yale winning by a score of 90-64.
- Three Bulldogs tallied double-figures in the victory, with Poulakidas leading with 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting.
- Aletan also notched 18 points on 9-of-10 shooting and grabbed six rebounds.
- With the victory, the Bulldogs clinched the Ivy League Regular Season Title and completed a perfect home record.
Scouting the Lions
- The Lions enter with a 12-4 overall record (1-1 Ivy),
- Columbia is coming off their first loss at home this season, falling to Harvard by a score of 79-54.
- Kenny Noland led the Lions with 10 points, while Connor Igoe added nine and Miles Franklin finished with eight.
- Harvard led throughout the whole game and held a game-high 26-point advantage with 2:02 to play. Thomas Bates II dropped a game-high 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting for the Crimson.
- The Lions are led by Noland, who averages 16.6 points per game.
- The Bulldogs have won the past five matchups against Columbia.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will hit the road for an ESPNU-televised clash with Penn on Saturday, Jan. 24. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
