The Ivy League is the only D1 conference in the country that decides things without an end-of-season tournament. To earn the automatic bid in the Ivy League, you have to win the regular season crown. When Yale lost to Dartmouth a week ago, though, it set up a one-game playoff situation between the Bulldogs and Harvard for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Harvard defeats Yale to claim automatic bid to NCAA Tournament in the Ivy League
Steve Moundou-Missi’s clutch jump shot gave Harvard its third straight NCAA Tournament berth.
Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
It was a tight affair throughout, as the lead changed several times but neither club ever held a double-digit advantage. Harvard had the ball with the shot clock off and the game tied at 51. Wesley Saunders drove the ball and kicked out to senior big man Steve Moundou-Missi, who knocked down the go-ahead jump shot. Yale had one final chance but couldn't convert, and Harvard won 53-51.
Saunders scored 22 points to lead the Crimson, while Moundou-Missi added 11 points and nine rebounds. Yale was led by 13 points from Justin Sears and 12 points from Javier Duren.
Harvard has been to the NCAA Tournament each of the last three seasons and won a game each of the last two years. Yale hasn’t been to the Big Dance since 1962.
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