Yale Athletics

PRINCETON, N.J. –– Yale wasted no time silencing the Jadwin Gymnasium crowd on Friday night, jumping out to a double-digit lead in the first eight minutes and never looking back in a 77–70 win over rival Princeton.

The win marked Yale’s (13–6, 6–0 Ivy) seventh straight. Perhaps more importantly, the Bulldogs now sit two games ahead of Princeton 15–6, 4–2 Ivy) atop the Ivy League.

Tiger fans were on their feet for a moment late in the second half when Yale coughed up five turnovers in as many minutes against Princeton’s second unit. The Bulldogs watched their 20-point lead dwindle to eight with 2:35 to play. But John Poulakidas ’25 silenced the crowd with the kind of dagger he’s delivered all season — a tough fadeaway jumper from the corner as the shot clock expired to restore Yale’s momentum.

“I felt really good about the way we played for 35 minutes of that game,” head coach James Jones told the News. “Our game kind of got away from us at the end. We turned the ball over too much, but it’s a great learning experience for us.”

Poulakidas finished with a game-high 23 points on 8-14 shooting. Guard Bez Mbeng ’25 and Nick Townsend ’26 added 25 combined points, also shutting down Princeton’s top offensive weapons, Caden Pierce and Xaivian Lee.

NBA scouts from at least three teams sat courtside to watch Princeton’s junior guard Lee, a projected second-round pick in Bleacher Report’s latest mock draft. But Mbeng, Yale’s two-time Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, held Lee to only two points on one-for-nine shooting. The Tigers’ Pierce, the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, didn’t fare much better, managing only five points before both players were benched for the final eight minutes.

Princeton head coach Mitch Henderson called Yale the best team the Tigers have faced all season. The two teams have competed for the top spot in the conference in each of the last three years. The Bulldogs are 12–3 in their last 15 games against the Tigers, although Princeton bested them in their most recent Ivy League championship matchup in 2023.

“We have a certain type of mindset when we play these guys,” Poulakidas said. “You see the amount of competitiveness our games have shown with them over the years.”

24 hours later against Penn, the Bulldogs showed no signs of fatigue, beating Penn (6–13, 2–4 Ivy) 90-61. 

The trio of Poulakidas, Townsend and Mbeng continued their strong play, with Townsend utilizing his size and unmatched hustle to rack up 23 points and 9 rebounds. Poulakidas and Mbeng were close behind, putting up 21 and 19 points, respectively. 

Center Samson Aletan ’27, also continued his strong run of play. At 6’10”, Aletan has made a name for himself this season thanks to his shot-blocking ability and athleticism, which has led to some highlight-reel dunks. He contributed six points, five rebounds and two blocks against the Quakers. 

The Bulldogs started the game on a 20-4 run and never squandered the lead. At times during non-conference play, the Elis struggled to keep momentum throughout the second half, but their 6–0 start to Ivy play is a testament to their ability to hold on to leads. 

The Bulldogs can solidify their claim to first place this Saturday as they head to Cornell (13–6, 5–1 Ivy), who sit one game back of the conference’s top spot, which earns the number one seed in the league’s four-team Ivy tournament. 

Jones said that Princeton’s scrappiness in the second half — which forced the Elis into 17 turnovers — only leaves his unit more prepared for the matchup with the Big Red.

“It’s a great learning experience for us,” he said. “We know Cornell’s gonna run and press, and this is also one of the first conference games we had to make tough free throws at the end. All these obstacles will help us going forward.”

Tip-off is at 2:00 p.m. Saturday in Newman Arena in Ithaca, New York.