The Yale Bulldogs unleashed an offensive masterpiece Saturday night, overpowering Princeton 84-57 at New Haven’s John J. Lee Amphitheater. Nick Townsend spearheaded the charge with 20 points and 7 rebounds, cementing Yale’s position as the undisputed Ivy League leader at 9-0 in conference play.
Head coach James Jones watched his squad shoot 53% from the field while maintaining their signature defensive intensity. Bez Mbeng delivered an electric 17-point showing (7/8 FG), draining three critical three-pointers that ignited the home crowd. Though John Poulakidas struggled with shot accuracy (4/15), his defensive hustle created key transition opportunities.
When we control the boards and move the ball like this, we’re tough to stop, Townsend told reporters post-game. The Bulldogs dominated rebounds 38-27, converting 18 second-chance points.
Princeton’s Xaivian Lee fought valiantly with 19 points, but the Tigers couldn’t counter Yale’s three-point barrage (10 made vs. Princeton’s 4). Yale’s depth proved decisive:
- Bench contributions: 28 points
- Points off turnovers: 22
- Fast break points: 17
With this historic 10-game winning streak, Yale (16-6) now boasts the program’s best conference start since 2015. Princeton (16-8) slips to fifth in the Ivy League standings despite maintaining NCAA Tournament at-large hopes.
Both teams face critical Friday matchups. Yale hosts Cornell in a potential conference title preview, while Princeton aims to regroup against Harvard. The Bulldogs’ relentless performance positions them as clear favorites to secure their first NCAA bid since 2022.