Ben Raab, Senior Photographer

HAMDEN — Yale lost one sharpshooter this offseason, but it might just have found another. 

Sophomore wing Riley Fox ’28 hit three straight threes in the first half against Quinnipiac as Yale (2–0, 0–0 Ivy) dominated the Bobcats (1–2, 0–0 MAAC) 97-60 on Tuesday night. The Connecticut native finished with 13 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting line, one of six Bulldogs to score in double figures against the Bobcats. 

“The guys played together tonight, we had great contributions from everybody, I was pleased from top to bottom,” Yale head coach James Jones said in an interview after the game. 

The Bulldogs are seeking their third straight trip to March Madness this season despite losing two all-Ivy players –– Bez Mbeng ’25, last year’s Ivy player of the year, and John Poulakidas ’25, who led the league in scoring with 19 points per game. 

In their first two games, the Bulldogs have looked the part, albeit with a more balanced attack. The Tuesday night blowout win follows a 97–68 rout of Navy on the road in Friday night’s season opener. The Elis have already climbed 37 spots in KenPom.com’s Division I rankings — now sitting at No. 65 after beginning the year at No. 102.

The game started off with a Quinnipiac 5-0 lead, though the Bulldogs quickly fought back to knot the game at 15-15 after seven minutes of action. The teams traded blows for the next four minutes, but following a Keith McKnight layup to give the Bobcats a 25-24 lead, Yale ripped off a 29-4 run to close out the half. Quinnipiac conceded seven turnovers during the span, which was described by the Bobcats’ ESPN+ broadcast team as “a clinic.”

The second half was more of the same, with Yale slightly expanding its margin and working in more bench players. As a result, sophomore Jordan Brathwaite ’28 scored a career-high 11 points, with nine coming in the second half. 

First year Daniel Ogunyemi ’29 scored four points in four minutes on the hardwood Tuesday night. Following his debut performance against Navy last Friday, when he scored five points in three minutes, Ogunyemi currently has a higher career point total than minutes played.

Against Quinnipiac, the team hit 10 of 18 total three-point attempts. Yale’s defense also forced 17 turnovers, leading to just 60 points from the Bobcats.

Strength in the paint

The Bulldogs boast a physical, athletic frontcourt that should be their strength this season. Forwards Nick Townsend ’26 and Isaac Celiscar ’28 each scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while 6-foot-10 center Samson Aletan ’27 added 13 points and three offensive boards.

Aletan, the highest-rated recruit in Yale history, was mostly a defensive presence during his first two seasons at Yale but flashed a more complete offensive game Tuesday night, throwing down several dunks and finishes around the rim. 

“There’s very few guys as big, strong and athletic as him in the country, much less our league. We’re glad he’s playing for us,” Jones said of Aletan.

Casey Simmons ’26 started on the wing in Yale’s first two games — though he may soon face competition from Fox, who scored 24 in the season-opener against Navy and offers more threat from behind the arc.

Battle for the backcourt

Yale’s biggest uncertainty this season lies at point guard, where Mbeng started the past three seasons. Trevor Mullin ’27 has the role for now, scoring seven points Tuesday, while Devon Arlington ’26 and Brathwaite have come off the bench. Mullin could face competition from Brathwaite, who knocked down two threes and brought energy to the second unit.

First-year guard Courtney Wallace ’29 also impressed in limited time, looking aggressive on offense with an athletic drive to the basket and a three.

Yale will return home for its next two games, beginning with its home opener against Stony Brook on Saturday at 1 p.m. in John J. Lee Amphitheater.