Tag: Columbia

Ivy League Weekly Roundup: March 9

What Happened Last Week: The biggest Ivy League basketball weekend in quite some time. On Friday, Yale beat Harvard to claim its first Ivy championship in a decade. Saturday afternoon, word leaked that Penn will find a new coach after the season. And that night, Yale’s last-second loss at Dartmouth left the Bulldogs tied with Harvard atop the league and headed for a playoff.

Three Thoughts:

1. Per Ken Pomeroy’s win probability chart, Yale’s chances at Dartmouth peaked at somewhere around 99% in the final minute. When Connor Boehm missed a shot with 28 seconds remaining and the Big Green down by five, Yale could taste the NCAA tournament (and the hidden Ivy League trophy). A loose-ball foul on Armani Cotton seemed academic, leaving the visitors up three with the ball. But Javier Duren was tied up in the backcourt and Miles Wright dropped a wide-open three-pointer, setting up a wild finish.

Yale has been deadly in end-game situations this year, so it was no surprise when Duren drew two free throws with 2.3 seconds remaining. But he made only one — and it was the second one, leaving the clock stopped — allowing Dartmouth to throw a home-run pass that Justin Sears batted out of bounds.

From under the basket, the Big Green ran a beautiful baseline inbounds set to free Gabas Maldunas for a layup, sending Harvard’s gym into celebration and denying (or at least postponing) the Bulldogs’ first NCAA tournament since 1962.

2. Dartmouth’s thrilling victory had repercussions beyond Harvard and Yale — it gave the Big Green a 14-14 record for the season, making them eligible for their first postseason appearance since 1959. They wouldn’t have had a chance if not for another wild game on Friday night. Dartmouth trailed Brown 50-26 with 14 minutes to play, and their postseason hopes seemed dashed. (KenPom gave them roughly a 3% chance of winning at that point.) But the Big Green has gone on the league’s craziest runs all season — including 26-2 at Harvard and 18-4 at Columbia — and they flattened the Bears with another spurt.

Dartmouth scored 11 straight points in 66 seconds (including an oddly timed technical foul earned by Brown coach Mike Martin), then reeled off another 8-0 run shortly after. John Golden scored a season-high 12 points with timely plays, and Maldunas was a factor on both ends, blocking four shots. The Big Green’s biggest spark came from Malik Gill, whose contested three-pointer in the final minute put the hosts ahead for good. Brown went just 13-26 from the free-throw line in a losing effort.

Thanks to a thrilling weekend, Dartmouth finished the season with a five-game win streak, rising from 2-7 and the Ivy cellar to 7-7 and fourth place (its first top-half finish since 2009). Assuming the Big Green receive an invite to the CIT (or perhaps the CBI), it will be well deserved.

3. ESPN’s Jeff Goodman reported Saturday afternoon that Penn coach Jerome Allen will not return next season, which was surprising news only for its timing. Under Allen, the Quakers finished below .500 in three straight seasons for the first time ever, and this year’s seven-game losing streak was the longest in team history. Allen is a Penn icon who remains well-liked among players and the community, but the program needed a change.

Allen was told last Monday that he would not be allowed to return next year, per The Daily Pennsylvanian; Penn went on to snap its losing streak with a sweep of Columbia and Cornell last weekend. Maybe lame-duck head coaches are the new market inefficiency?

Weekly Awards:

Player of the Week: Maodo Lo, Columbia — It’s Monday, which means it must be time for another edition of Maodo Lo Shot Chart Theater. Lo scored a career-high 37 points in his season finale at Princeton, and unlike his 33 against Harvard last week, most of them came from outside (sometimes way outside). Lo drained 11 three-pointers at Princeton, setting an Ivy League single-game record. Usually, such a performance would get lead billing; on Saturday, it was maybe the fourth-biggest story in the Ivy League.

Maodo_Lo_Shot_Chart_Columbia-Princeton_37-points

Rookie of the Week: Miles Wright, Dartmouth — The Big Green’s game-winning shot wouldn’t have happened if not for Wright’s three-pointer that tied the game 12 seconds earlier, which in turn was made possible by Wright’s hustle for a rebound and two free throws on the prior possession. Before the final minute, the rookie hounded Yale’s ballhandlers for five steals, keeping the hosts close while their offense was struggling.

The Week Ahead: Harvard and Yale will meet at The Palestra on Saturday (time TBD), in the first Ivy League playoff in four years — and the first ever not involving either Penn or Princeton. Yale is ranked #75 in KenPom, while Harvard is #79, so this playoff shapes up to be just as exciting as the last one. The Bulldogs just won by 10 in Lavietes Pavilion, but a lot went right for them in that game, which won’t necessarily repeat itself this weekend.

We will reveal our Big Apple Buckets Ivy awards on Wednesday morning. The league’s official awards, though slightly less prestigious, will also be announced this week.

Power Rankings:

1. Harvard (11-3) — It’s remarkable how successful Harvard’s scoreboard-watching has been over the past few years. In 2012, the Crimson earned their first-ever NCAA bid when Princeton beat Penn in the season’s final game. In 2013, they entered the final weekend a game behind Princeton, winning the title outright only after the Tigers were swept at Yale and Brown. Harvard has deserved its success, but its past 4-5 years could have played out much differently.

2. Yale (11-3) — Makai Mason is likely Yale’s point guard of the future, but he was critical in the present on Saturday night. With Javier Duren limited by foul trouble and the Bulldogs’ role players scuffling, Mason came off the bench to score 19 points on 9-11 shooting.

3. Princeton (8-5) — Princeton was down 83-74 with two minutes remaining after Lo’s 11th three-pointer, but the Tigers scored the final 11 points to clinch their own postseason eligibility. They took advantage of two rare Lo misses and scored on four straight possessions, including two tough baskets through contact by Hans Brase. Both teams scored at least 1.32 points per possession in the shootout — and with most players returning, expect more of the same next year.

4. Dartmouth (7-7) — Harvard gave Gabas Maldunas and Dartmouth plenty of love on Saturday:

https://twitter.com/MattFraschilla/status/574393579415674880

…while others directed their gratitude toward higher powers:

5. Columbia (5-9) — The Lions needed just one win this weekend to clinch postseason eligibility, which made a road sweep particularly disappointing. Before collapsing at Princeton, Columbia was upset at Penn, managing only six points in the first 19 minutes. Even after all that, Lo was this close to saving the Lions at the buzzer at Jadwin (and reaching 40 points):

Video via the Ivy League Digital Network
Video via the Ivy League Digital Network

6. Cornell (5-9) — The Big Red needed a road sweep to be eligible for the postseason; they got swept instead, though Shonn Miller averaged 24 points per game in the final weekend of his Ivy career. With Miller, Galal Cancer and Devin Cherry all set to graduate, the Big Red might be in trouble next season.

7. Brown (4-10) — Rafael Maia ended his career in style, posting double-doubles in each of his last two games, but it was a forgettable Ivy campaign for the rest of the Bears. They’ll always have the win at Providence — which will mark the second time in three seasons a last-place Ivy finisher beat an at-large NCAA tournament team.

8. Penn (4-9) — The Quakers doubled their Ivy win title last weekend, offering some hope for next year with most of their core returning. Penn had the second-worst offense in Ivy play, but no team scored more efficiently against Cornell than the Quakers did in either game (1.22 points per possession in Ithaca, 1.11 at home).

Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Mar. 1

What Happened Last Week: Harvard lost at Cornell, falling back into a tie for first place with Yale at 10-2. The Crimson beat Columbia the following night, while the Bulldogs beat Princeton and Penn despite trailing both in the second half. Dartmouth earned an impressive road sweep of the New York teams. Continue reading “Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Mar. 1” →

Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Feb. 22

What Happened Last Week: The favorites held serve at the top of the Ivy League on Friday, but Saturday was more exciting. Columbia toppled Yale in New Haven, giving the Bulldogs their second Ivy loss. Meanwhile, Harvard survived a scare from Princeton to claim first place alone. Continue reading “Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Feb. 22” →

Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Midseason Edition

What Happened Last Week: Harvard and Yale stayed atop the Ivy League at 7-1, 2.5 games ahead of the field. The Bulldogs swept a road trip to Penn and Princeton, while the Crimson edged Columbia on Siyani Chambers’ jumper and beat Cornell. Elsewhere, Dartmouth beat the Lions at home, while Penn was swept by big margins. Continue reading “Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Midseason Edition” →

Another Siyani Chambers Game-Winner Leads Harvard Over Columbia

Harvard point guard Siyani Chambers is best known for his clutch shots. There was the short floater to beat Boston University in just his seventh college game. There was the layup against Dartmouth later that year to cap a 10-point comeback and force overtime, and the last-minute three-point play against Columbia to take the lead for good. And last year, his pull-up jumper was a dagger to Cincinnati in the NCAA tournament. Continue reading “Another Siyani Chambers Game-Winner Leads Harvard Over Columbia” →

Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Feb. 9

What Happened Last Week: Harvard beat Yale 52-50 on the road, pulling into a tie for first place at 5-1. The Crimson almost slipped up at Brown the previous night, but after pulling out an overtime win in Providence, they shut down the Bulldogs with stifling defense. Every other Ivy League team is at least 1.5 games back after Princeton beat Columbia but lost at Cornell. Continue reading “Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Feb. 9” →

Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Feb. 2

What Happened Last Week: Yale swept Columbia and Cornell on the road, improving to 4-0. Harvard recovered from last week’s upset with wins at Princeton and Penn, keeping pace at 3-1. Princeton is in the mix at 2-1, as are Cornell and Columbia at 2-2, but the Ivy League still looks like a two-team race. Continue reading “Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Feb. 2” →

Ivy League Weekly Roundup: Jan. 19

What Happened Last Week: Yale opened Ivy League play with an impressive 80-62 victory at Brown. Despite committing 23 turnovers and nearly throwing away a six-point lead in the final minute, Columbia edged Cornell 48-45 on the road. In non-league play, Penn beat Niagara and was competitive with No. 5 Villanova, while Harvard’s six-game win streak against Boston College ended in overtime.

Three Thoughts:

1. Yale looked a lot like last year’s team at Brown, relying heavily on offensive rebounding, free throws and Justin Sears. The junior saw several layups spin out and shot just 7-16 from the line, but he still finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds; meanwhile, the visitors earned 37 free throws and grabbed 15 offensive boards. The Bulldogs’ shooting is much improved this season (thanks largely to Javier Duren and Jack Montague, who combined for 34 points), so if they can get to the line and control the glass like they did last year, they will be very tough to beat.

2. The Lions had a great defensive gameplan against Cornell, and they needed every bit of it to escape Ithaca with a win. Columbia often brought four or five defenders into the paint to stop drives, daring the Big Red to beat them with ball movement. The hosts instead settled for off-balance jumpers, taking only 12 of their 52 shots at the rim (most of which were well contested). Cornell made four field goals in the first half and scored .71 points per possession, allowing Columbia to lead wire-to-wire despite an ugly offensive performance of its own (including zero points from a foul-plagued Maodo Lo). 

Columbia-Cornell in a nutshell. (Video via Ivy League Digital Network)
Columbia-Cornell in a nutshell. (Video via Ivy League Digital Network)

3. The Ivy League announced a national TV package last week. Five men’s basketball games (and one women’s game) will be shown on CBS Sports Network, and several others will be syndicated on American Sports Network, which produces games to air on local networks. With fewer games and shorter notice, this marks a downgrade from last year’s package on NBC Sports Network, but at this late stage, it’s much better than nothing. The CBSSN package features each team at least once, though both Harvard-Yale showdowns are notably absent (one is on ASN).

Weekly Awards:

Player of the Week: Javier Duren, Yale — Duren beat the Bears in many ways on Saturday. He used his speed to get into the lane, his strength to outmuscle Tavon Blackmon in the post, and his touch to hit a pair of three-pointers. The senior point guard finished with a game-high 19 points, 10 rebounds and three assists (plus several other passes that went unfinished at the rim).

Rookie of the Week: Antonio Woods, Penn — Against fifth-ranked Villanova, Woods came off the bench but led the Quakers in minutes, scoring 18 points on 7-12 shooting. His heroics helped the Quakers stay within one possession through 30 minutes.

The Week Ahead: Three sets of travel partners complete their home-and-home series, with Brown visiting Yale, Cornell visiting Columbia and Harvard visiting Dartmouth. (We will be covering all three games on Saturday.) Given that all three of this week’s home teams won their openers on the road, the favorites are clear, but crazy things can happen in these series.

Power Rankings:

  1. Harvard (1-0) — Ivy play may be approaching, but Tommy Amaker’s recruiting machine hasn’t stopped: 2016 power forward Chris Lewis, the nation’s #44 prospect per ESPN, committed to the Crimson Sunday.
  2. Yale (1-0) — Though Brown’s matchups often kept Sears away from the basket defensively in first half, he finished with five blocked shots. Sears is my midseason Defensive Player of the Year, followed by Steve Moundou-Missi and Wesley Saunders. (Edit: I forgot about Shonn Miller, who would be right with Sears for DPOY.)
  3. Columbia (1-0) — Kendall Jackson was a surprise hero for Columbia. After playing just 12 minutes in the Lions’ previous nine games, he spelled Maodo Lo for much of Saturday, banging two three-pointers and finishing with eight points.
  4. Cornell (0-1) — The Big Red’s defense continues to be an amazing story, now 87th nationally per KenPom after ranking 350th a year ago. But their offense is now 305th. Cornell has scored .75 points per possession or less in three of its last five D-I games; remarkably, they still nearly won two of those (an OT loss to Saint Peter’s and Saturday’s loss to Columbia).
  5. Princeton (1-0) — With the Tigers off for exam break, here’s a long-overdue spotlight on their women’s team, which is 17-0 and #19 in the AP poll. The Tigers have won four Ivy championships under head coach Courtney Banghart, but they’ve yet to win an NCAA tournament game. This year is their best chance yet: With convincing wins over good Michigan and Pitt squads, Princeton is ranked sixth nationally in the Sagarin ratings.
  6. Dartmouth (0-1) — After a close loss at Vermont, Dartmouth did what Michigan and Yale couldn’t: Beat NJIT. The Big Green have shot just 30% from three-point range over their last three games, however, which they’ll need to turn around to make noise in Ivy play.
  7. Brown (0-1) — The Bears played at home, committed only 11 turnovers, and were still blown out in their Ivy opener, thanks to Yale’s 1.16 points per possession. Brown’s defense is probably the biggest disappointment of the Ivy League this year.
  8. Penn (0-1) — Penn’s freshmen continue to impress this season. Woods stole the spotlight against Villanova, but Mike Auger scored eight points with a team-high nine rebounds, a few days after getting seven boards and two steals in 21 minutes at Niagara.