Yale Athletics

Yale men’s basketball took care of business against Division III Vassar on Monday with a 102–53 win. Now, the real test begins. 

The Bulldogs are listed as 14-point underdogs ahead of Friday night’s matchup against No. 11 Gonzaga. Yale will need to be in top form against the nationally ranked Zags, an especially tough task given that Gonzaga is Yale’s first Division I competitor of the season. Here’s what the Bulldogs may have to do to pull off the upset.

Slow Gonzaga in transition

Gonzaga led the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency last season. At approximately 87 points per game, they’ve also led the nation in scoring for each of the last five seasons.

Specifically, the Zags thrive off of a fast-paced offense. Per kenpom.com, a college basketball data site, they have consistently ranked among the country’s fastest offenses over the last five years, always seizing chances to push the ball down court after a missed basket. Last season, 28 percent of their shots came in transition.

Yale guard Bez Mbeng ’25, the Ivy’s reigning defensive player of the year, will have his work cut out for him against opposing point guard Ryan Nembhard, who helped lead Creighton to the Elite 8 last season before transferring schools. If Mbeng can keep Nembhard from pushing the pace in transition, Yale could be better positioned to stifle the Zags’ offense in the halfcourt.

Strong interior defense

Gonzaga stands out among nationally top-ranked teams for their low dependency on three-point shooting, which does not account for a high percentage of their points; they ranked 309th nationally in 3PA/FGA last year at just 26.4 percent. Instead, they thrive on shots inside the arc — particularly in the paint. 

The Zags recorded the nation’s second-highest effective field goal percentage (57.6%) last season and were top 10 in shots made at the rim (66.9%). 

In their three regular season games against opponents from high-major conferences last season, the Bulldogs struggled mightily to contain opposing big men in the paint.

6’9” Colorado forward Tristan da Silva scored 20 points against the Bulldogs off of 7-12 shooting from inside, Butler’s 6’11” Manny Bates had 22 points on 9-15 and Kentucky’s 6’9” Oscar Tshiebwe recorded a dominant 28 points on 13-18 shooting.

The Elis would do themselves a big favor this time around by limiting Gonzaga bigs Anton Watson and Graham Ike on touches inside the paint. Yale’s seven-foot-tall sophomore Danny Wolf ’26 will need to play strong, physical defense, especially against the 6’9”, 255-pound Ike. First-year center Samson Aletan ’27, who impressed in his Yale debut, could also make an impact off the bench.

Three-point efficiency

Offensively, the Bulldogs are at their best when its pair of sharpshooting guards, August Mahoney ’24 and John Poulakidas ’25, are on target. Last season, they combined to shoot 42 percent from three on 277 attempts. Each of them have the ability to get hot from deep on a moment’s notice; when they’re both hot, Yale’s offense can appear unstoppable.

In the eleven games during which Mahoney and Poulakidas combined for five or more three pointers last season, Yale had an average point margin of +14.5. When they didn’t, that number decreased to +6.2.

Additionally, three-point shooting defense may be a chink in Gonzaga’s armor. Last season, they allowed opposing teams to score at a 35-percent clip from behind the arc, a mark that put them at 257th in the country.

Forward Matt Knowling ’24, last season’s leading scorer and first-team All-Ivy selection, will enter as Yale’s primary weapon on Friday, looking to use his athleticism and finesse around the rim to score. If the Elis can also be efficient from deep, they will be better suited to match the Zags in offensive firepower.

Team chemistry

Yale Coach James Jones told the News after Monday’s game that this year’s team is one of his strongest ever from a depth perspective. 

In addition to their core four players retained from last year, the Bulldogs have several new faces with the potential to take key roles. Wolf brings size and shooting to the starting five, forward Nick Townsend ’26 led all scorers in Monday’s win, offseason additions Casey Simmons ’25 and Aletan will add athleticism and defense off the bench — all in addition to the team’s role players from last season.

But can they put it all together so early in the season? 

Yale’s offense looked sloppy at times on Monday, and many of its 11 turnovers came off of miscommunications and errant passes. On defense, they were often slow to close out on open shots. And Friday’s competition will be far more robust than that of the Division III Brewers. 

But if it’s any consolation, Friday will also be a tough battle for the Zags, which have yet to play an official game this season. They also lost their two leading scorers from last season, Drew Timme and Julian Strawther, to the NBA draft. 

In an interview after an exhibition game last week, Gonzaga coach Mark Few called Yale a “scary” opponent.

“It’s not an ideal opener for us,” he said. “They’ll be smart, they’ll be tough, they’re super, super well coached. They’re picked to win the Ivy [League] and they have their whole team back.”

Yale earned 14 of 16 first-place votes in the Ivy League’s annual preseason media poll. They’ve also caught the attention of college basketball analysts outside the conference, ranked ninth on collegeinsider.com’s mid-major poll and named to ESPN and The Athletic’s mid-major watch lists.

On paper, Yale’s team looks like a force to be reckoned with. Tonight is their chance to prove it.