Yale’s fouling blunder costs team March Madness bid in Ivy League final

A massive blunder by the Yale Bulldogs’ men’s basketball team in the Ivy League Tournament final wound up costing them a March Madness bid. 

It was a thrilling second half that ultimately needed extra time to figure out a champion, as Penn’s T.J. Power nailed a game-tying 3-pointer with one second left to force overtime. It gave the Quakers star 40 points and kept their season alive, as the No. 1 seed Bulldogs were trying to hold off their conference foe. 

But the Quakers were able to come away with the 88-84 upset victory, marking the school’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 2018. 

It didn’t look to be the case, though, as Power made it 86-81 as he nailed two free throws to give him a total of 44 points with just 17 seconds left in overtime. The Bulldogs were expected to start fouling the Quakers intentionally, as to not allow them the opportunity to break the five-point lead Yale owned. 

It’s common with at least a three-point lead to foul late in the game, but Yale’s Casey Simmons let Power run down the court and have the chance to tie the game in the final seconds. Power didn’t waste the opportunity. 

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Using their momentum, the Quakers, fresh off a close win over No. 2 Harvard to advance to the Ivy League Tournament final, outscored the Bulldogs, 13-9, where Power was a key component in the end. Also, Cam Thrower’s three-pointer with 1:59 left in overtime gave Penn a four-point lead that would never be relinquished. 

As Michael Zanoni nailed both of his free throws with seven seconds left, it iced victory for the Quakers, who will now be focused on No. 3 Illinois after getting into March Madness as a No. 14 seed. 

Power, who played at Duke and Virginia before transferring to Penn, finished with 44 points on 14-of-26 shooting, including 7-of-14 three-pointers made. He had 14 rebounds for a double-double, while also dishing out two assists and picking up one steal and one blocked shot. 

Thrower finished the game with 19 points, going an efficient 6-of-10 from the field and picking up four rebounds. 

For Yale, they will have to think about the what-ifs until next season – the unfortunate other side of March Madness. That’s especially the case considering Trevor Mullin’s last-ditch heave to win the game hit off the back rim on the other side of the court to confirm overtime was needed for these two rivals. 

Sometimes, it’s heroics. Other times, it’s head-scratching blunders that help determine who goes dancing and who heads home. 

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