The Yale Bulldogs are going back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1962.
Yale clinches first NCAA Tournament bid in 54 years
The Bulldogs ended a 54-year tournament drought.
Mike Granse-USA TODAY Sports
Yale defeated Columbia 71-55 on Saturday night to win the Ivy League, clinching the automatic tournament bid for a conference that does not have a postseason tournament. Four Yale starters finished in double-figures against Columbia, led by 22 points from sophomore guard Makai Mason. Yale finishes the season at 22-6 overall and 13-1 in the Ivy.
Yale was set up to clinch the conference on Saturday after Harvard beat Princeton, 73-71, on Friday. If Yale would have lost, Princeton could have forced a tiebreaker game by winning its final two games.
Yale was close to grabbing an NCAA Tournament berth last season, but lost its regular season finale to Dartmouth, which dropped them into a tie with Harvard. Harvard beat Yale, 53-31, denying the Bulldogs a tournament spot at the 12th hour.
Yale’s NCAA Tournament appearance stops a streak of four straight postseason trips for Harvard.
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