Ivy Hoops Online

Ivy 60 for 60: Rudy LaRusso

January 23, 2016 by Paul Hutter

Rudy LaRusso was in an episode of Gilligan's Island once. — Rudy LaRusso was in an episode of Gilligan’s Island once.

Between 1960 and 2007, Penn and Princeton dominated Ivy League basketball, winning 43 out of 47 championships. However, the first dominant team in the newly formed Ivy League was Dartmouth, led by All-American power forward Rudy LaRusso. Between 1956 and 1959, Dartmouth and LaRusso rendered the Penn-Princeton rivalry stillborn by winning three consecutive championships.

Columbia gets back on track with treys, sweeps Cornell

January 23, 2016 by Ian Wenik

This time around, the biggest source of drama in Columbia’s rematch with Cornell was the open question of how the Lions would be able to safely return to Manhattan following a 79-68 victory. The three-point shooting of Columbia (13-6, 2-0 Ivy) kept Cornell (7-9, 0-2) safely at arm’s length throughout the second half.

Turning point: This game was close at halftime, as Columbia only held a 36-33 lead heading into the break. In the second half, though, the Lions took advantage of their biggest strength to open up a big lead they wouldn’t give up.

Luke Petrasek, Maodo Lo and Alex Rosenberg all hit three-pointers in the first 3:27 of the second half, pushing the Lions’ lead to 11 points. Cornell never seriously threatened after that burst.

Ivy Friday roundup

January 22, 2016 by Mike Tony

Yale 90, Brown 66

Last week, Yale built a 21-4 lead hosting Brown before the Bears clawed their way back in to pester the Bulldogs the rest of the game. Friday night brought just the opposite.

On the Vine – Jan. 21, 2016

January 21, 2016 by Mike Tony

The panel breaks down the first few games of conference play, and it has an extended discussion about the various Ivy gyms. Peter Andrews, Mike Tony, and Ian Halpern are joined by Jacob Mitchell of the Yale Daily News for this episode.

Why Nick Victor is Yale’s X-factor

January 18, 2016 by Richard Kent

Thirty-six minutes,15 points, four blocks, four assists, 11 rebounds. Not bad. But fairly typical of the glue of the Yale team, 6-5 Nick Victor, in leading his team to a 77-68 win over scrappy Brown Saturday at home.

Need a key bucket? Victor will score it. Want a player in position for an offensive rebound. That’s him? How about a steal? Count on Nick.

Ivy 60 for 60: Butch Graves

January 17, 2016 by The Ancient Quaker

Butch Graves averaged 20.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in his four years with Yale, finishing with 2,090 points for his career, third all-time in Ivy League history behind only Bill Bradley and Jim Barton. (Yale Athletics)

In the early 1980s, if your team was not known as the Quakers or the Tigers, the Ivy was a one-star league. That is, the other six teams usually had one serviceable, if not transcendent, star player who needed to be dealt with lest your ‘P’ suffer a humbling and humiliating loss. Butch Graves was Yale’s transcendent star from 1980 to 1984.

Ivy Saturday roundup

January 17, 2016 by Mike Tony

Yale 77, Brown 68

As it did last season, Brown gave Yale a scare in New Haven, but not a loss.

Late free throws by Makai Mason and Jack Montague iced the game for the Elis, and Mason led Yale with 20 points in 32 minutes. Brown overcame an early 21-4 deficit to cut Yale’s lead to 37-31 at halftime. Cedric Kuakumensah, Tavon Blackmon and JR Hobbie combined for 50 of Brown’s 68 points and 15 of its 20 field goals. Brown and Yale combined for 49 fouls and 36 turnovers in what turned out to be a sloppy game.

Columbia holds off Cornell, 74-70

January 16, 2016 by Ian Wenik

Columbia opened up Ivy play the best way it possibly could have — by closing out a tough opponent in a close game. Cornell fought back from an 11-point deficit in the final four minutes, but the Lions made the free throws they needed to and held on, 74-70.

Turning point: After Matt Morgan hit a three-pointer from the right wing to draw Cornell within two, 71-69, with 16.2 seconds remaining, the Big Red knew they needed to rely on their press to have a realistic shot at winning.

They nearly got one.

Previewing Brown-Yale & Cornell-Columbia

January 16, 2016 by Mike Tony

IHO takes a closer look at Saturday’s two Ivy conference matchups.

Brown at Yale, 5 p.m.

Last season: Then-senior guard Javier Duren canned a jumper with 3.4 seconds remaining to break a 65-65 tie and help ensure a Bulldogs victory. Yale’s 69-65 win completed a sweep of Brown, and the Elis took the lead for good with 12:28 to go in the game after Brown had led 31-25 at halftime. Justin Sears and Duren scored 27 and 24 points respectively, combining for 15 of Yale’s 20 field goals. Brown got a more balanced scoring attack, with Rafael Maia, Steven Spieth and Tavon Blackmon combining for 50 of Brown’s 65 points just five days before it Leland King’s departure from the Brown basketball program was announced. (King played only in the first matchup of this series in Providence last season, his final game as a Bear.)

Ivy 60 for 60: Brian Taylor

January 17, 2016January 16, 2016 by Paul Hutter

Brian Taylor '73 averaged 24.3 points and 6.0 rebounds in 51 contests for the Tigers. — Brian Taylor ’73 averaged 24.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in 51 contests for the Tigers. (Princeton Alumni Weekly)

Following our countdown of the top 10 moments in each Ivy school’s men’s basketball history this summer, Ivy Hoops Online is delighted to continue celebrating the 60^th anniversary of modern Ivy League basketball by honoring the top 60 players in Ivy hoops history (in no particular order). We’re further delighted to have Paul Hutter, author of The Golden Age of Ivy League Basketball: From Bill Bradley to Penn’s Final Four, 1964-1979, into the site’s fold to contribute recollections, along with several other staff writers, of the greatest players in the history of a great league.

Brian Taylor, Princeton ’73: 6′ 2″ Brian Taylor was a McDonald’s-level high school All-American who not only went on to star at Princeton, but also establish himself as an outstanding professional. At Princeton, he was a two-time All-American before going to the ABA’s New York Nets after his junior year. He averaged 23.5 points per game as a sophomore and 25 points per game as a junior as the Tigers achieved a No. 14 national ranking..During this pre-ABA/NBA merger period, he was the subject of an intense bidding war between the Nets and the Seattle SuperSonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder, somewhat fitting as his game was very Russell Westbrook-esque). He was the 1973 ABA Rookie of the Year as Julius Erving’s teammate as well as a two-time ABA All-Star on a three-time championship team.