Watch out, Princeton and Penn. Yale is lurking in the background in plain sight.
The Elis upset favored and high scoring UNC, 66-63, Saturday at fabled Carmichael Arena, before a crowd of 2,632. It was the lowest point output of the season for the Tar Heels, coached by former Princeton coach Courtney Banghart.
With the win, Yale improved to 8-3 on the season and 5-2 away from home.
UNC fell to 9-2.
The Elis opened up on a blistering shooting pace, running out to a 21-9 first stanza lead. Carolina cut the lead to 30-28 at intermission.
The teams traded baskets in the third period before Yale once again got hot from the field in the fourth quarter to win the game.
The Elis managed to win despite an eight-point output from sophomore phenom Camilla Emsbo, the team’s second leading scorer at 15.7 points per contest.
Ellen Margaret Andrews was the shining offensive star with 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting. Leading scorer Roxy Barahman chipped in with 16 points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
Yale managed to win despite being outrebounded, 58-44.
Shayla Bennett kept the Tar Heels in the game with 25 points.
“This was a total team win,” coach Allison Guth said. “We had individuals who stepped up big time.”
Yale returns to action on Tuesday at home in the afternoon against Wagner, having knotted the all-time series with the Tar Heels at 1-1..
Wow. Must have been a testy post game presser. Wonder if Yale used a junior high zone? Ivy League race may start talk of a three bid conference.
“Junior high zone.” Good one.
I’m gonna miss Courtney Banghart. I hope she tears it up in Chapel Hill. I’d love to see her do well, show the nation that the quality of coaching and playing in the Ivies is surprisingly good.
Impressive upset for Yale, and you’re right, Toothless, it suggests a three-way race ahead. I’ll have to watch some Yale games.
You don’t think Courtney Banghart left any ill feelings behind in the Ivies, do you? Don’t the players and coaches all love one another? I mean, except for Penn vs. Princeton.
One subject worth discussing sometime: the challenge mid-major teams like those in the Ivies, especially the stronger programs, face to schedule good and challenging opponents. If you’re good enough, the better teams don’t want you because (as Coach Banghart will tell you) they don’t want upsets on their record. So you can fill your schedule with teams like NJIT (which played three Ivies this year — Penn, Cornell and Columbia — and lost by an average of 38 points), and then your team isn’t ready for its toughest games, or for postseason play.