Sophia Wang, Contributing Photographer

This weekend was one filled with accomplishments for the Yale men’s basketball team (18–6, 11–0 Ivy). After defeating Cornell (14–10, 6–5 Ivy) by four points on Friday night and then blowing out Columbia (12–12, 1–10 Ivy) by 26 on Senior Night, the Bulldogs finished their home schedule undefeated, clinched the top seed in Ivy Madness and won the Ivy League regular season championship.

“We keep doing things that we haven’t done before,” head coach James Jones said of his team’s accomplishments. “I don’t remember going undefeated at home ever before. We won the league outright with three games to go. It’s just special, it doesn’t happen very often.” 

Across both games the Bulldogs showed off the depth of their roster, with a number of players contributing on the stat sheet. Leading the way against Cornell was Nick Townsend ’26, who has been consistent for Yale all year and poured in 24 points in 36 minutes, including four three-pointers. Then, the next night it was a return to the John Poulakidas ’25 show, with the senior sharpshooter putting up 28 points to push past the Lions.  

The win on Saturday night was particularly special for the four seniors who played the final home game of their careers against Columbia: Poulakidas, Bez Mbeng ’25, Jack Molloy ’25 and Teo Rice ’25. The four seniors all started the game together as a nod from Jones to all they’ve accomplished in their time in New Haven. 

“This class I think has been a group that I’ve believed in wholeheartedly since my first week here,” said Rice, who is also the team captain. “It was never clear that we were going to accomplish great things, and we still have lots more to accomplish. I just feel lucky and indebted to the people around me.”

Mbeng, in particular, left his mark on Senior Night, putting up his second triple-double of the year with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The Yale point guard is now one of only two players in the nation to post multiple triple-doubles this season, as Sean Smith of Western Illinois also has two. 

Clinching the top seed in Ivy Madness means the Bulldogs now get to sit back and watch how the chaos unfolds for the remaining three seeds in the tournament. With three games remaining, five teams are competing to qualify, with only Penn and Columbia out of contention.

One thing that continues to set the Bulldogs apart all season has been rebounding and the offensive play of Poulakidas. Yale currently ranks tenth in the nation in rebounding with an 8.4 rebound margin, while Poulakidas has shown an ability to score hard baskets against any defense. 

“I’m extremely hard on myself,” said Poulakidas of his mindset. “Coach Jones tells me everyday that I have to be nicer to John Poulakidas but I think that that mindset has taken me to where I am now.”

The Bulldogs will begin the final stretch of their season this weekend when they go on the road to take on second place Dartmouth.