New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Yale falls to Waters, LSU in NCAA tournament
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Another big deficit to an elite, Power 5 program in an NCAA tournament game.
Another spirited second-half comeback to get within three points in the final minute.
But ultimately, not quite enough on Thursday afternoon for Yale.
The Bulldogs battled back from an 18-point secondhalf deficit and were within three after a Jordan Bruner 3-pointer with 8.6 seconds left in their first-round bout with LSU. But the Tigers hit nine of 10 free throws down the stretch and held on for a 79-74 win over the Bulldogs at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.
Yale finished 22-8 overall.
“I’m just so proud of this group and the fight that we showed,” senior guard Alex Copeland said. “We were in the locker room at halftime, and I think we were a little down for a moment, but we all kind of came together and told each other, ‘Look, we can do this.’ We’ve been down before, and to come out and battle here and put on a show for our fans that were here and watching across the country feels amazing.”
In Yale’s prior NCAA tournament game three years ago, it fell behind Duke by 27 but got to within three in the final minute before losing 71-64. Coach James Jones could understand the comparison between the two games, but didn’t think there were many similarities — except for one thing.
“The thing with that Duke game, it’s kind of eerie to think about how hot they were and how cold we were to start,” Jones said. “I think that’s probably the one comparison that you can draw. We just couldn’t make a shot in that first half.”
Indeed, LSU (27-6) got off to a 9-0 start, and it appeared it would be a long day for Yale. The Bulldogs momentarily got hot, hitting three straight 3-pointers at one point to get within two. But those would be the only three 3-pointers (in 17 attempts) Yale would hit in the opening half. The Bulldogs were 10-for-34 (29.4 percent) from the floor and trailed 45-29 at the
break.
“I thought we got good shots,” said Jones. “Could we have got a little better shots, maybe. But, I thought we got good shots that we normally knock down.”
LSU’s lead was up to 18 (49-31) 21⁄2 minutes into the latter half. But, geared by the play of Copeland and Jordan Bruner, the Bulldogs battled back. They were within single digits midway through the half, got it to seven with 8:07 left and had chances to get even closer.
But Azar Swain missed a 3pointer that could have brought it to within four. Miye Oni, the team’s leading scorer and Ivy League player of the year, missed a trey that would have brought the Bulldogs to within four with 1:52 left. Swain had a 3-pointer blocked, and Oni missed another 3-pointer with 1:07 left that would have made it a three-point game.
By the time Bruner finally hit a trey that got it to three, it was a little too late. Skylar Mars was fouled and made both free throws to seal the deal with seven seconds left.
Oni, who entered the game averaging 17.6 points per game, scored just five on 2-for-16 shooting (1-for-10 from 3).
“I felt like I actually got a lot of good looks,” Oni said. “I just couldn’t knock them down (Thursday).”
Copeland led all scorers with 24 points and Bruner added 16 points and nine rebounds. Swain netted 12 off the bench.
“We were really close to achieving something that we wanted to achieve,” said Bruner, a 6-foot-9 junior. “We knew the whole time we were capable of getting back into the game. So, we just came out and played hard. I tried to give a spark that would help us turn it around.”
“Yale is a quality team,” LSU interim coach Tony Benford said. “They’ve won a lot of games, beat some quality opponents. We knew it was going to be a tough game, so I want to give them some credit, too.”
Mays led LSU with 19 points and New Haven native Tremont Waters, who grew up honing his game inside Payne-Whitney Gym, added 15 (13 of them in the first half ). Naz Reid and Kavell BigbyWilliams, a pair of 6-11 physical specimens, each notched doubledoubles.
LSU outrebounded the Bulldogs 46-38, but both teams grabbed a dozen offensive boards, and Bruner didn’t think the Tigers’ size advantage amounted to much.
“I think we matched that well,” he said. “We were good on the offensive glass. I know they were supposed to be a good offensive rebounding team, and they got their fair share. But in terms of physicality, I didn’t really see anything special. I thought it was a dogfight like any other dogfight, and I just went out there and played as hard as I could.”
Ultimately, it wasn’t quite enough. When the dust had settled, Yale could still hang its head high on an Ivy League title and second trip to the Big Dance in four years. The Bulldogs should have Oni (who could be an NBA draft pick) back next year, along with Bruner, Swain, Paul Atkinson and a group of players who didn’t get a whole lot of playing time this season.
They will say goodbye to program stalwarts Copeland, Blake Reynolds and Trey Phills, whom Jones addressed after the game.
“I told them, they had (Justin) Sears and (Brandon) Sherrod and (Nick) Victor as guys to look up to,” said the coach. “Now, our freshmen and sophomores are gonna be talking about those guys.”
“I’m in awe,” Jones added, “of just being a part of what these guys are.”