PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Let the madness begin.
The men’s portion of Ivy Madness starts Saturday at the Pizzitola Sports Center with No. 1 Yale and No. 4 Princeton set to clash in the first semifinal at 11 a.m. on ESPNU. No. 2 Cornell and No. 3 Dartmouth will square off in the second semifinal at 2 p.m. on ESPNEWS. The two winners will play for the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday at noon on ESPN2.
More information is available at
IvyMadness.com.
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
| TIME |
GAME |
COVERAGE |
| 11 a.m. |
No. 1 Yale vs. No. 4 Princeton |
ESPNU | Stats |
| 2 p.m. |
No. 2 Cornell vs. No. 3 Dartmouth |
ESPNEWS | Stats |
SUNDAY, MARCH 16
FAST BREAK
- The Ivy League ranked in the top three of several conference stats categories according to KenPom (conference games only): assists per field goal made (1st, 55.1), turnover percentage (2nd, 15.3), tempo (3rd, 69.7), 2-point percentage (3rd, 52.7) and 3-point attempts per field goal attempts (3rd, 41.5).
- Entering this season, there had been four triple doubles recorded by an Ivy since the 1996-97 season. That number has been eclipsed this season by Yale’s Bez Mbeng (3) and Princeton’s Xaivian Lee (2). The duo – both unanimous first team All-Ivy selections – are just two of three men’s basketball players in the nation with multiple triple doubles this season. Mbeng is just the sixth Division I men’s basketball player since the 2013-14 season to record at least three in a single season.
- The All-Ivy teams and major award winners were announced Wednesday. Mbeng was voted the Player of the Year and was a unanimous selection for Defensive Player of the Year, Harvard’s Robert Hinton was unanimously voted the Rookie of the Year and Dartmouth’s staff was named the Coaching Staff of the Year.
- A trio of Ivy coaches received recognition from College Insider last week. Dartmouth’s David McLaughlin and Yale’s James Jones were two of the 25 finalists announced for the Hugh Durham Award, presented annually to the top mid-major head coach in men’s college basketball. Jones was also one of 25 finalists for the Ben Jobe Award, awarded each year to the top minority head coach in division I college basketball, and one of 20 finalists named for the Jim Phelan Award, presented annually to the top head coach in division I college basketball. Cornell’s Jon Jaques was one of the 16 finalists named for the Joe B. Hall Award, given out annually to the top first-time head coach in Division I men’s college basketball.
- Yale is ranked fifth in the College Insider Men’s Mid-Major Top 25, which is voted on by coaches.
- Five teams completed non-conference play with winning records: Columbia (11-2), Princeton (11-4), Brown (8-5), Cornell (8-5) and Yale (7-6). The Ivy League enjoyed wins over teams from the ACC, Atlantic 10, Big East and Big Ten.
- According to KenPom rankings, the Ivy League has the second-best continuity average of all 31 Division I conferences. Columbia (9th), Princeton (18th) and Cornell (27th) all rank in the top 30.
- Four different teams have multiple NCAA tournament wins since 2010: Cornell (2), Harvard (2), Princeton (2) and Yale (2). The Ivy League is one of only 10 current Division-I conferences with four teams with at least two NCAA Tournament wins (excluding First Four games) in that span joining The American, ACC, Atlantic 10, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Missouri Valley, Mountain West and SEC.
- The Ivy League led all eligible mid-major conferences with six players named to the Lou Henson Early Season Watch List. The award is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball.
| LOU HENSON EARLY SEASON WATCH LIST |
| Brown G Kino Lilly Jr. |
| Columbia G Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa |
| Princeton G Xaivian Lee |
| Princeton F Caden Pierce |
| Yale G Bez Mbeng |
| Yale G John Poulakidas |
- Numerous Ivies rank in the top 25 on national statistical categories:
| IVIES IN THE TOP 25 (TEAM) |
| Assist/Turnover Ratio |
Yale (11th, 1.63)
Cornell (13th, 1.59)
Columbia (14th, 1.60) |
| Assists Per Game |
Cornell (2nd, 19.3)
Columbia (9th, 17.4) |
| Blocks Per Game |
Brown (12th, 5.3) |
| Effective Field Goal Percentage |
Cornell (1st, 58.9) |
| Fastbreak Points |
Cornell (14th, 14.85) |
| Field Goal Percentage |
Cornell (4th, 49.8)
Yale (11th, 49.1) |
| Field Goal Percentage Defense |
Yale (18th, 40.1) |
| Fouls Per Game |
Harvard (20th, 14.2) |
| Rebound Margin |
Yale (13th, 7.6) |
| Rebounds (Defensive) Per Game |
Dartmouth (4th, 29.19)
Yale (14th, 27.85) |
| Rebounds Per Game |
Yale (23rd, 39.26) |
| Scoring Margin |
Yale (16th, 12.5) |
| Scoring Offense |
Cornell (6th, 85.0)
Yale (20th, 82.2) |
| 3-Point Attempts Per Game |
Cornell (7th, 30.0)
Princeton (14th, 29.4)
Dartmouth (21st, 28.8) |
| 3-Point Percentage |
Yale (13th, 38.5) |
| 3-Point Percentage Defense |
Dartmouth (7th, 29.4) |
| 3-Pointers Per Game |
Cornell (4th, 11.3)
Princeton (12th, 10.6)
Dartmouth (20th, 10.3) |
| IVIES IN THE TOP 25 (INDIVIDUAL) |
| Assists Per Game |
Bez Mbeng, Yale (23rd, 5.9) |
| Free Throw Percentage |
John Poulakidas, Yale (14th, 89.6) |
| Minutes Per Game |
Kino Lilly Jr., Brown (22nd, 36:23) |
| 3-Point Percentage |
Cooper Noard, Cornell (13th, 43.5) |
| 3-Pointers Per Game |
Kino Lilly Jr., Brown (14th, 3.26) |
| Triple Doubles |
Bez Mbeng, Yale (1st, 3)
Xaivian Lee, Princeton (2nd, 2) |