Feb. 12, 2004

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YALE TALE

Defense was the key to Yale's sweep of Columbia and Cornell last weekend. The Bulldogs (8-11, 3-3 Ivy) held Columbia to 43.2 percent shooting, while Cornell scored a season-low 48 points, 27 below its season average, and shot just 28.3 percent. Yale has won three of its last four games and is holding opponents to 37.7 percent from the field during that stretch. Offensively, the Bulldogs are 33rd in the nation in field goal percentage (.473, 467 of 987). Dominick Martin, who leads Yale in scoring (12.0 ppg.) and rebounding (5.4 rpg.), is making 61.2 percent (101 of 165) of his field goals, which is 12th in Division I. Matt Minoff has stepped up his play so far during Ivy play. In six league games, he is averaging 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and has 20 assists and nine steals. Alex Gamboa, who made 6 of 11 shots from the field and had 16 points and five assists against Cornell, leads the Bulldogs in three-pointers (29) and assists (75). Edwin Draughan, one of only two players to start all 19 games, is second on the team in scoring (11.6 ppg.), assists (56) and steals (25).

HISTORY LESSONS

Yale and Dartmouth have played 182 times and each team has won 91 times. The Bulldogs have won six straight, including a 70-60 decision in last year's season finale. Yale has won three straight games at Leede Arena, and James Jones is 7-1 at Yale against the Big Green. The Bulldogs also have won six in a row against Harvard. Yale has 105 victories all-time against the Crimson, the most they have amassed against any school. The Bulldogs lead the series 105-63, and Jones is 7-1 against the Crimson.

SCOUTING DARTMOUTH

The Big Green (3-17, 1-5 Ivy) feature one of the top rookies in the Ivy League in Leon Pattman, who leads the team in scoring (14.5 ppg.). In his last five games, he is averaging 23.8 points and 6.8 rebounds while shooting 57.7 percent (41 of 71) from the field, 47.8 percent (11 of 23) from three-point range and 96.3 percent (26 of 27) from the foul line. In those five games he is averaging 41 percent of his team's points while taking just 14 shots a game. Dartmouth is shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 33.7 percent from three-point range.

SCOUTING HARVARD

The Crimson, who host Brown on Friday night, is second in the Ivy League in free throw percentage (.719). Harvard (2-17, 1-5 Ivy) has two players averaging double figures in scoring - Kevin Rogus (14.9 ppg.) and Matt Stehle (12.9 ppg.). Head coach Frank Sullivan has used the same starting lineup in all 19 games.

YALE 63, COLUMBIA 58

Dominick Martin scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds as Yale rallied to defeat Columbia. The game was the first matchup between Yale head coach James Jones and his younger brother Joe, who is in his first year at the helm of the Columbia program. Paul Vitelli added 13 points and five rebounds and freshman Casey Hughes scored a career-high 11 for the Bulldogs (7-11, 2-3 Ivy). Matt Land led Columbia (6-12, 2-3) with 14 points and Dragutin Kravic scored 10 and had seven rebounds. The Lions led 29-25 at halftime, but the Bulldogs opened the second half with a 7-0 run, capped by a Matt Minoff dunk with 16:36 remaining. Columbia took its only lead of the second half, 56-54, on two Maurice Murphy free throws with 3:50 left, but Vitelli answered with a three-pointer from the baseline to give Yale the lead for good, 57-56, with 3:28 left.

YALE 67, CORNELL 48

Alex Gamboa scored 16 points and had five assists as Yale cruised to a victory over Cornell. The Bulldogs held Cornell to just 28.3 percent (15 of 53) shooting from the field, and the 48 points were 27 below the Big Red's season average. Matt Minoff and Dominick Martin both added 14 points for the Bulldogs. Martin made 7 of 11 shots from the field, while Minoff, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday, connected on 6 of 11 field goals and added eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 31 minutes. Yale scored the game's first four points and never relinquished the lead. The Bulldogs outscored Cornell 8-2 over the final 5 minutes of the first half and led 36-22 at the intermission. Yale built the lead to 19 early in the second half, before the Big Red rallied. Two free throws by Barnes pulled Cornell to within 51-43 with 9:02 left, but Yale answered with a 15-2 run, capped by a Paul Vitelli jumper with 1:27 left. Eric Taylor had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Cornell. Yale shot 50 percent (28 of 56) from the field for the game, including 55.2 percent in the first half.

LEAGUE LEADERS

Yale leads the Ivy League in blocked shots with 74 and is second in field goal percentage (.473). The Bulldogs are third in assists (15.16 per game) and fourth in scoring defense (67.2 ppg.).

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Feb. 6 Yale-Columbia matchup was the first between Yale head coach James Jones and his younger brother Joe, who is in his first year at the helm of Columbia's program. It is believed to be the first meeting between brothers since Clarence and Hank Iba in the 1950's. Clarence was the head coach at Tulsa while Hank coached Oklahoma State. The teams meet again on Mar. 6 in New York City...At the start of Ivy League play on Jan. 16, Yale's schedule was rated the 14th most difficult in all of Division I by USA Today's Sagarin Ratings... Both Jones and Cornell head coach Steve Donahue wore sneakers in their Feb. 7 matchup as part of National Coaches vs. Cancer Day. The National Association of Basketball Coaches asked coaches to wear sneakers to show their support for Coaches vs. Cancer.