NEW HAVEN, Conn. – In their first home game in more than a month, the Yale men's basketball team saw five players score in double figures en route to a dominant 102-68 win over Cornell at John J. Amphitheater on Saturday afternoon.
With the victory, the Bulldogs improved to 13-3 (2-1 Ivy), while the Big Red dropped to 7-9 (0-3 Ivy).
Turning Point
After Cornell scored five consecutive points to cut Yale's lead to 33–26 with 8:08 left in the first half, the Bulldogs' offense took off. Yale followed with a 14–0 run, fueled by three-point makes from
Devon Arlington,
Nick Townsend, and
Riley Fox, to extend the margin to 47–26. The Bulldogs were dominant offensively in the opening half, shooting 71% from the field (22-of-31) and 53.3% from beyond the arc (8-of-15). Yale maintained control throughout the second half, connecting on 51.5% of its shots (17-of-33) and building its largest lead of the game at 38 points, 88–50, with 10:30 remaining.
Notable Performances
- Fox led the team with 21 points, shooting 9-of-11 from the field and 2-of-4 from three, adding two rebounds. He scored 13 of his points in the first half.
- Townsend recorded 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three, along with eight rebounds and four assists.
- Isaac Celiscar posted a stellar double-double with 14 points and 10 assists, going a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line and grabbing three rebounds.
- Trevor Mullin contributed 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, 3-of-5 from three, plus five rebounds and four assists.
- Casey Simmons notched 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting with five rebounds and two assists.
- Jordan Brathwaite had eight points and recorded a steal.
- Samson Aletan chipped in with seven points and seven rebounds.
- Yale shot an efficient 60.9% from the field (39-of-64).
- The Bulldogs tallied 22 assists on 39 made baskets.
Hear from Coach Jones
"I thought that was the best defensive effort we've had in a while. Our guys were really locked in on their responsibilities, and although we weren't perfect, we did a great job defending them [Cornell] and set the tone. Offensively, we were able to get the ball in good places and make some really good plays."
Bulldog Notes
- Townsend has scored in double digits for seven consecutive games and has posted 20 or more points in four contests this season.
- The Bulldogs' 100+ point outing marked their first time reaching triple digits this season against a Division I opponent.
- Celiscar recorded the first double-double of his career, adding a career-high 10 assists.
- Fox has reached double figures in 11 games this season, including four contests with 20 or more points.
- Jacob Tsai made his collegiate debut in the second half of the game.
- The Bulldogs have won five straight matchups against the Big Red and lead the all-time series, 127–113.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will host Columbia on Monday, Jan. 19. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.
