We’re counting down the top 10 moments in each Ivy school’s history as part of our Ivy League at 60 retrospective. Yale is next by request of Ivy Player of the Year Justin Sears.
Yale”s run through the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) first round in 2014 was quite the roller coaster. First, a three-pointer banked in by Justin Sears with 0.07 seconds left gave Yale a 69-68 squeaker over Quinnipiac. Then in the second round, Yale prevailed at Holy Cross, 71-66, overcoming a 66-65 deficit with 1:43 remaining to make James Jones online casino the winningest coach in Yale basketball history (surpassing Joe Vancisin). Yale”s next win came by a 72-69 at Ivy rival Columbia, which had beaten the Bulldogs 62-46 on the same Levien Gym floor.
Javier Duren posted 33 points in the win over the Lions, including 26 in the second half, so he had all the momentum he could have asked for going into Yale”s CIT semifinal matchup with VMI. Duren made good on that momentum at VMI, notching 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists. More importantly, Yale shut down a run-and-gun offense that had given VMI the highest scoring offense in the nation that season en route to a 75-62 victory in Lexington, Va. The Bulldogs subsequently lost to Murray State in the CIT championship game, 65-57, but their thrilling run through the CIT field served notice that they and the rest of the Ivy League still had plenty left in the tank for the following season and beyond.
What you fail to mention, if my ancient cerebrum is correct, is that IHO fan Justin Sears was injured for that last game. Had he been at his Searing best, Yale might have won.
The AQ
That’s right, thanks for the reminder AQ! I updated the post to reflect Sears’ absence.