Yale men’s basketball will have to compete this season without a very valuable cog.
Senior guard Matthue Cotton suffered a shoulder injury last season, had it operated on and it hasn’t healed sufficiently. Cotton likely would have started at the wing.
The Voorhees, N.J. native was one of four Bulldogs playing in all 31 games last season, starting 13 of them. Cotton finished second on the team in three-pointers in 2021-22, and his 12 points in 24 minutes were instrumental in a key road win at Princeton in January. Cotton contributed 7.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, hitting just under 32% of his three-pointers.
“[Cotton] has been a tremendous addition to our team over his time at Yale,” coach James Jones said. “He played through a shoulder injury last season and was able to help us win a championship. I’m saddened that he has played his last game as a Yale Bulldog, fans have only seen a portion of what he is capable of doing on the court.”
Ivy League rules preclude Cotton from playing another season in the conference, and he’s considering taking a postgraduate year and playing elsewhere after he graduates in May. Cotton will spend as much time as possible with the team and represent the team on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.