Yale Bulldogs
2019-2020 Overall Rank: #112
Conference Rank: #2 Ivy
Yale reached the NCAA Tournament last season, their second in four years. To make another NCAA Tournament, the Bulldogs will have to reload quickly. Four starters are gone, including top scorers Miye Oni, Alex Copeland and Blake Reynolds. Oni left after his junior campaign and was selected 58th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. Obviously there are some holes to fill, but Coach James Jones has the talent at his disposal to remain a competitor in the Ivy League.
2018-19 Record: 22-8, 10-4
2018-19 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: James Jones
Coach Record: 310-273 at Yale, 310-273 overall
Key Departed Players:
Miye Oni, Guard, 17.1 ppg
Alex Copeland, Guard, 14.1 ppg
Blake Reynolds, Forward, 11.1 ppg
Trey Phills, Guard, 7.0 ppg
Key Returning Players:
Jordan Bruner, Senior, Forward, 10.4 ppg
Paul Atkinson, Junior, Forward, 9.1 ppg
Azar Swain, Sophomore, Guard, 7.9 ppg
Eric Monroe, Senior, Guard, 2.0 ppg
Jalen Gabbidon, Junior, Guard, 1.2 ppg
Austin Williams, Senior, Forward, 1.7 ppg
Key New Players:
August Mahoney, Freshman, Guard
EJ Jarvis, Freshman, Forward
Projection:
The focus will shift to the frontcourt where Jordan Bruner and Paul Atkinson are back to lead the way. Bruner, a 6-9 senior, averaged 10.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks during his return campaign after missing 2017-2018 with an injury. Bruner is a superb all-around player who is capable of taking this team to the top of the Ivy League standings. Atkinson is more of a bruiser in the paint who averaged 9.1 points and 5.0 rebounds as a sophomore. The new star of the backcourt will likely be Azar Swain. The 6-0 junior played a huge role off the bench in 2018-2019, averaging 7.9 points per and connecting on 40.9 percent of his three-point attempts. Eric Monroe and Jalen Gabbidon are the other perimeter players with some experience, but Coach Jones will have to find some new impact players. There are quite a few underclassmen who have the capability to step into the starting lineup, but none of them are proven.
Projected Postseason Tournament: CBI/CIT
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 80.9 (25th in nation, 1st in conference)
Scoring Defense: 73.4 (232, 8)
Field-Goal Percentage: 49.3 (7, 1)
Field-Goal Defense: 41.2 (48, 1)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.7 (181, 7)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 36.3 (83, 2)
Free-Throw Percentage: 73.8 (72, 2)
Rebound Margin: 4.3 (48, 2)
Assists Per Game: 16.8 (13, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.1 (187, 4)
Madness 2020 NBA Draft Rankings:
Madness 2019 Men’s Basketball Recruit Rankings:
