Yale did something this weekend it hasn’t done in years. It won a basketball tournament. The Bulldogs, playing as well as any Ivy team right now, handed the home team, Kent State, its first loss to win the Men Against Breast Cancer Classic.
Yale had defeated Illinois-Chicago, 70-58, and Illinois State, 53-46, to reach the final. It took an heroic performance from senior Matt Townsend, who flew in from New York after being awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, to seal the victory. Townsend had 12 points, including the go-ahead basket.
Jack Montague led the Elis with 13 points, many of which were from long range. Justin Sears added 12 and nine boards.
Yale shot .500 from the field and .462 from three-point range. The Bulldogs also sank 22 of 27 free throws, many down the stretch.
The Elis play host on Wednesday night to Lafayette, which has already beaten Princeton and Penn so far this season.