New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Oni’s dream season has ‘disappointing’ end
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A tremendous season that included an Ivy League Player of the Year award and serious NBA draft buzz couldn’t have come to a worse end for Miye Oni.
The junior guard picked a bad time for easily his worst game of the season, hitting just 2 of 16 shots (1-for-10 from 3-point land) for five points in Yale’s
79-74 NCAA tournament first-round loss to LSU on Thursday.
It was just the second time this season Oni failed to score in double figures. He was held to just two points in the Bulldogs’ next-to-last game of the regular season by Penn.
“I couldn’t make anything,” a despondent Oni said. “I tried to get my teammates involved, and they did a good job of scoring and finding guys. I tried to pick up my energy on defense. We had a good team surge to bring us back in the game. If we hit a couple of shots here and there, it could have gone differently. But, it is what it is. It’s just motivation to work harder and get better, so it doesn’t happen again.”
LSU interim coach Tony Benford credited the defensive play of Marlon Taylor but, in truth, Oni had numerous open looks that simply didn’t fall.
“My son is 13, and he’s a big James Harden fan,” said Yale coach James Jones. “Every time James Harden plays, it would be the first quarter and he’ll be 1-for-9, and (my son) will be like, ‘James Harden sucks. He stinks. He can’t play.’ So, you’re gonna have games where you knock the ball in and you don’t. Miye had open shots that just didn’t go down. And he’s hit tougher shots than he had tonight that he missed.”
With 1:52 left, Oni missed a 3-pointer that would have cut Yale’s deficit, which once was 18, to just four. After an LSU free throw, however, Oni drove to the hole for a rafter-shaking dunk that could have been the impetus to get him going.
Jordan Bruner blocked a Tremont Waters shot and Yale came down with a chance to get within three. Azar Swain’s 3-point attempt was blocked by Skylar Mars, but Bruner got the loose ball and hit Oni for an open trey with 1:07 left.
Again, he was off the mark. LSU’s Javonte Smart countered with a lane jumper that pretty much sealed the deal with 49 seconds left.
“You love the kid, he’s got the heart of a lion, he wants nothing more than to win,” said Jones. “Some days, you’re just not gonna make shots. You’re just not. It’s just the way it happens. It’s how basketball is. You just don’t want it to happen on a day like today, but it could’ve happened against Harvard or Princeton, and we wouldn’t have gotten here.”
Now, Oni will wrestle with the decision to go pro or return to Yale for his senior season. Asked if he intended to come back, he said: “I can’t comment on that right now ... but, most likely.”
Added Jones: “We’ll sit down with him when we get back, some time next week, let the dust settle on this. We’ll sit down. The NBA advisory committee can let you know where you’re gonna be picked. We’ll get that information, see where he is and go from there.”
TREMONT TREMENDOUS
New Haven’s own Tremont Waters, who grew up playing inside Yale’s PayneWhitney Gym, was recruited heavily by Jones and considered going to Yale, sliced the Bulldogs up for 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting and six assists in the first half. He was less effective in the latter half, held to just two points (0-for-7 shooting) and one assist, but the Tigers pulled out the win.
BANGED-UP BULLDOGS
Jones reported after the game that senior guard Trey Phills played with a torn ligament in his toe. Phills started but barely in the latter half and finished with just four points.
Jones also noted that Alex Copeland and Swain were dealing with balky ankles, and that Bruner was playing with a deep thigh contusion.
WE’RE WITH THE BAND?
Yale’s band was on spring break and did not make the trip to Jacksonville. In their place was the band from the University of North Florida — dressed in Yale shirts and outfits.