‘Guts,’ grit guided 13-seed Yale to ‘nice’ win over Auburn, coach says

SPOKANE, Wash. – The extra Yale coach James Jones studied Auburn this week, the extra satisfied he was the Tigers – the No. 7-ranked workforce within the AP ballot – have been underseeded as a No. 4.

That is why within the moments after Yale secured its second ever NCAA match win, upsetting Auburn, 78-76, on the Spokane Area, he was fast to make a daring proclamation about its historic significance.

“I do not know if that is the very best win in Yale basketball historical past,” Jones stated, “however I’ll inform you that is the very best basketball workforce that we have crushed in Yale basketball historical past.

“So far as I am involved, Auburn is without doubt one of the higher groups within the nation. I could not consider that they have been a 4 seed by way of what they have been capable of do with their metrics.”

Most notably, Auburn was the No. 4-ranked workforce nationally within the well-respected kenpom.com rankings, which rely closely on superior statistics. The Tigers got here into the sport having simply gained the SEC match and misplaced to just one workforce all 12 months that weren’t among the many area of 64.

Regardless of all this, Yale confirmed no indicators it was intimidated, even after trailing by seven factors at halftime and falling behind by 10 with 7 minutes, 35 seconds left within the recreation. Every time the Tigers regarded like they may draw back, the Bulldogs responded, usually by a tricky shot from John Poulakidas, who completed with a career-high 28 factors on 10 of 15 shootings.

“I used to be looking for out a method and an avenue for us to achieve success and I do not know that we went down the avenue I used to be occupied with,” Jones stated. “We did not make free throws (21 of 31) and we turned the ball over (11 instances), however the guys had sufficient guts and sufficient sticking collectively and staying collectively to provide us an awesome victory.”

It doubles as a historic loss for Auburn. The Tigers got here into the sport 11-0 all-time within the Spherical of 64, which stood as probably the most wins and not using a lack of any workforce for the reason that area expanded in 1985, in accordance with ESPN Stats and Data, and the third-longest streak, behind Kansas 16 straight wins and Gonzaga (14).

“It is robust to mirror on the season while you simply undergo one of the crucial disappointing losses in your profession,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl stated. “I have been within the 12 spot. We have had these nice wins. That is the most important upset in NCAA match that I believe I’ve skilled.”

Yale’s win marks the second straight 12 months an Ivy League workforce has defeated a Energy 5 convention champion within the first spherical of the tournaments, following Princeton’s victory over Arizona final 12 months as a No. 15 seed. The Tigers went on to beat Missouri to advance to the Candy 16 – a run the remainder of the Ivy League took satisfaction in, watching from residence.

“We now have a really undervalued league,” Poulakidas stated. “I do know all people noticed what Princeton did final 12 months, clearly, and even this 12 months, that they had an incredible season. Cornell nearly went as much as Ohio State and beat them. So, we’ve a very undervalued league and for us to come back into this constructing as we speak towards a top-10 workforce within the nation and carry out how we did, I am very pleased with all people in our locker room.”

Yale, and different Ivy League groups, do not get many alternatives to play quad 1 competitors in nonconference play and, once they do, it is normally on the highway. That dynamic, Jones contends, skews the notion of the Ivy League’s high quality.

“I’ve stated this earlier than, that two years in the past we gained the Ivy League championship and we performed Purdue within the first spherical, however I believe that Princeton was the very best workforce in our convention and we have been lucky sufficient to win that championship,” Jones stated. “Final 12 months, I believe we have been the very best workforce within the convention and Princeton beat us within the championship recreation they usually went to the Candy 16.

“So in my thoughts, we may have had two groups within the match adequate to win video games. So very pleased with our league and what we have carried out and hopefully it continues to maneuver in the appropriate course.”

Yale completed in a second-place tie with Cornell within the common season this 12 months behind Princeton, which misplaced simply three common season video games and was a No. 2 seed within the Nationwide Invitational Event.

Mentioned guard August Mahoney: “Each basketball participant grows up watching March Insanity the day they’re sufficiently old to know what it’s. And also you see Cinderella tales all all through yearly and also you see the underdog win some large video games. And it’s a dream come true while you come to a college like Yale to not solely make it, however to win that recreation.”