Princeton tops Yale 74-65 to win Ivy League championship
AP
Mar 12, 2023
Princeton Tigers, N.J. (AP) Tosan Evbuomwan scored 21 points, Caden Pierce added a double-double and Princeton beat Yale Bulldogs 74-65 on Sunday to win the Ivy League Tournament and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
No. 2 seed Princeton's victory ends top-seeded Yale's three-year run as league champion. The Tigers will be making their 26th appearance in the Big Dance and their first since 2017. Yale beat Princeton 66-64 in last season's championship game.
Evbuomwan sank 8 of 14 shots from the floor with a 3-pointer for the Tigers (21-8). He added five rebounds and four assists. Pierce, the Ivy League's freshman of year, finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. It was his seventh double-double of the season. Matt Allocco pitched in with 15 points and seven boards, while Ryan Langborg had 14 points and four assists.
Sophomore Bez Mbeng paced the Bulldogs (21-8) with 18 points and six rebounds. Matt Knowling, who led the Ivy with a shooting percentage of 63%, scored 14 off the bench on 6-of-7 shooting. August Mahoney hit three 3-pointers and scored 13.
Evbuomwan buried a 3-pointer to cap a 12-0 run to start the game for Princeton. Mahoney answered with a 3-pointer for Yale, sparking an 11-0 spurt that pulled the Bulldogs within a point with 11:11 left in the first half.
Mahoney hit another 3-pointer, Knowling followed with a layup and Yale took its first lead 25-23 at the 3:32 mark. Pierce made two 3-pointers and a layup from there to give Princeton a 33-29 lead at halftime.
The Tigers pushed their lead to double digits - 51-41 - on Evbuomwan's jumper with 12:41 left in the game. Mbeng hit a 3-pointer to pull Yale within 59-56 at the 3:30 mark. Allocco and Mbeng traded baskets, but Princeton scored its final 13 points at the free-throw line over the final 1:50 to close out the victory.
Princeton shot 40% from the floor, made 9 of 23 from 3-point range (39%) and 19 of 24 foul shots. Yale shot 44% overall, made 8 of 22 from distance (36%) and 13 of 19 free throws.
Yale beat Princeton twice during the regular season.
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1st Half
YALE
Bulldogs
33
PRIN
Tigers
29
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Keeshawn Kellman vs. Isaiah Kelly (Caden Pierce gains possession)
19:44
EJ Jarvis blocks Caden Pierce's two point layup
19:42
August Mahoney defensive rebound
19:18
Bez Mbeng misses three point jump shot
19:16
Ryan Langborg defensive rebound
19:03
+2
Ryan Langborg makes two point jump shot
2-0
18:36
August Mahoney misses three point jump shot
18:34
Ryan Langborg defensive rebound
18:18
Keeshawn Kellman misses two point layup
18:16
John Poulakidas defensive rebound
17:52
John Poulakidas misses three point jump shot
17:50
Keeshawn Kellman defensive rebound
17:33
August Mahoney shooting foul (Ryan Langborg draws the foul)
17:33
+1
Ryan Langborg makes regular free throw 1 of 2
3-0
17:33
+1
Ryan Langborg makes regular free throw 2 of 2
4-0
17:07
August Mahoney turnover (bad pass) (Matt Allocco steals)
16:44
+2
Tosan Evbuomwan makes two point layup
6-0
16:24
August Mahoney misses three point jump shot
16:22
Zach Martini defensive rebound
16:15
+3
Matt Allocco makes three point jump shot
9-0
16:00
Isaiah Kelly misses two point layup
15:58
EJ Jarvis offensive rebound
15:55
EJ Jarvis misses two point layup
15:54
Tigers defensive rebound
15:54
TV timeout
15:35
Keeshawn Kellman misses two point jump shot
15:33
EJ Jarvis defensive rebound
15:03
Caden Pierce blocks EJ Jarvis's two point layup
15:02
EJ Jarvis offensive rebound
15:02
Bulldogs turnover (shot clock violation)
14:45
+3
Tosan Evbuomwan makes three point jump shot (Xaivian Lee assists)
12-0
14:20
+3
August Mahoney makes three point jump shot (Matt Knowling assists)
12-3
14:00
Tosan Evbuomwan misses two point jump shot
13:58
Matt Knowling defensive rebound
13:43
+2
Matt Knowling makes two point jump shot
12-5
13:21
Xaivian Lee misses three point jump shot
13:19
Tigers offensive rebound
13:15
Ryan Langborg misses three point jump shot
13:13
John Poulakidas defensive rebound
13:13
Caden Pierce personal foul
12:48
Ryan Langborg shooting foul (Bez Mbeng draws the foul)
12:48
+1
Bez Mbeng makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-6
12:48
+1
Bez Mbeng makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-7
12:35
Ryan Langborg misses three point jump shot
12:33
Danny Wolf defensive rebound
12:17
+2
Danny Wolf makes two point layup (August Mahoney assists)
12-9
11:55
Zach Martini misses three point jump shot
11:53
Bez Mbeng defensive rebound
11:36
Danny Wolf misses two point layup
11:34
Matt Allocco defensive rebound
11:18
John Poulakidas blocks Tosan Evbuomwan's two point layup
11:16
Bez Mbeng defensive rebound
11:08
+2
August Mahoney makes two point layup
12-11
10:53
Tosan Evbuomwan misses two point layup
10:51
Caden Pierce offensive rebound
10:39
+2
Tosan Evbuomwan makes two point jump shot
14-11
10:39
Matt Knowling shooting foul (Tosan Evbuomwan draws the foul)
10:39
TV timeout
10:39
+1
Tosan Evbuomwan makes regular free throw 1 of 1
15-11
10:15
Danny Wolf turnover (bad pass) (Ryan Langborg steals)