2-10-24 Recap: After Defeating Cornell, Yale Stands Alone Atop the Ivy

 by Joe Budzelek
(@stf_ncaa)

Both Cornell and Yale entered Saturday's tilt undefeated in Ivy conference play, but thanks to a game-winning bank shot from senior forward Matt Knowling, the Bulldogs are now atop the Ivy League standings after defeating the Cornell Big Red 80-78 in front of a lively crowd at John J. Lee Amphitheater.

In the game's opening ten-minutes, a hot start from Yale star sophomore center Danny Wolf (25 points, 10 rebounds) kept the game close, scoring half of the team's opening twenty points, but Cornell's press, combined with aggressive interior defense, made it difficult for Yale to keep consistent on the offensive end.

Near the midpoint of the first half, seven straight points from Cornell senior Chris Manon set off a 14-to-4 run for the Big Red, ballooning Cornell's led to fifteen points with five minutes remaining in the first. 

By the end of the first half, slowly, but surely, Yale started to get more comfortable navigating Cornell's press, which opened up interior opportunities for August Mahoney, Nick Townsend and Bez Mbeng to attack the rim.

Yale senior captain August Mahoney was essential in Yale's second-half comeback. With over two-thirds of his season's shot attempts from the perimeter, today, all of Mahoney's points were from inside the arc as his four two-pointers made matched a career high. 

It was a game of bookends for Danny Wolf as Yale's leading scorer started hot and went coast-to-coast scoring on the game-tying drive (pictured below) with only four minutes remaining. It's no surprise why NBA scouts salivate at his pro potential. With a mature offensive game oozing with savvy, intelligence, positionally strong handle and a deep bag of tricks, Wolf's scoring versatility was on full display converting points from jumpers, floaters, post-scores from both hands, drives and bank shots. 

Quiet in the first half, Yale's junior point guard Bez Mbeng heated up in the second half as his frenetic energy (three steals in the second half) and distribution creativity (three assists in the second half) helped fuel his mounting confidence throughout the game. 

Inbounding the ball with just four seconds remaining, Mbeng made the assist of the game, seeing through Cornell's trying defense to spot a cutting Matt Knowling, who hit a go-ahead, and-one ten-foot bank shot and converting at the charity stripe. Following that make, Cornell quickly worked their way up the floor, but Mbeng tightly contested a failed three-point attempt by Cornell guard Nazir Williams.

Following the final buzzer, the jubilant crowd set ablaze as the typically calm Yale head coach James Jones joined the student section to celebrate the Bulldogs' biggest victory of the season. 

Yale's win grows their winning streak to nine games, good for a four-way tie for the third longest active wining streak in the nation. A game to remember, the Ivy's elite will matchup again in Ithaca on Friday, February 23rd, which looks to spotlight as the nation's top game that evening.