Big Green Hang Tough Early, But Fall at Yale

Friday, March 1

New Haven, Conn. / John J. Lee Amphitheater

7:00 PM

Dartmouth College

5-20,1-11Ivy League

Yale

19-8,10-2Ivy League

Dartmouth

Yale

Photo by: Justin Lafleur

3/1/2024 10:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Jaren Johnson posted 12 points and 10 rebounds for his first-career double-double

By: Justin Lafleur

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Sophomore Jayden Williams knocked down a 3-pointer to pull the Dartmouth men's basketball team within six early in the second half, but Yale responded with a 12-2 run and wouldn't look back, beating the Big Green 80-56 on Friday evening inside John J. Lee Amphitheater. Senior Jaren Johnson led the offense with 12 points, to go with a career-high 10 rebounds, good for his first-career double-double.

With the win, Yale improves to 19-8 and 10-2 in the Ivy League. Dartmouth falls to 5-20 and 1-11 in the league.

Johnson didn't miss a shot all game, finishing 5-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the free throw line.

"Jaren has a mature approach," said Dartmouth head coach David McLaughlin. "As a point guard, you need to have a mature approach; he lets the game come to him. I thought he was in good attack mode today and really took what the defense gave him, didn't force a ton and got the ball in the paint when needed. One of our points of emphasis was on rebounding. I thought he did a good job, especially at the point guard position getting on the defensive glass."

Jaren Johnson into double figures for the fifth time in the last six games after this drive and finish.

Watch on @ESPNPlus: https://t.co/RvcVWkr9WG #GoBigGreen pic.twitter.com/jlwQZgErCB
— Dartmouth Men's Basketball (@DartmouthMBB) March 2, 2024

Sophomore Brandon Mitchell-Day added 10 points and a career-high five assists. Senior Dusan Neskovic scored nine points, knocking down 2-of-3 from three and all three of his free throws, which included finishing a four-point play.

John Poulakidas led Yale with 16 points, as four Bulldogs finished in double figures.

Trailing 4-0 early, the Big Green pulled even following layups from Johnson and Mitchell-Day. Not long after, a Romeo Myrthil 3-pointer knotted the score at seven.

After a Niko Abusara free throw got Dartmouth within 12-10, Yale used a 7-0 surge to create some separation. The Big Green immediately responded with four straight, as a Jackson Munro fastbreak layup pulled Dartmouth within 19-15.

As the first half progressed, Yale gradually built its lead, reaching double figures after an August Mahoney 3-pointer gave the Bulldogs a 33-22 advantage with 2:39 on the first-half clock. Five straight points from Myrthil pulled the Big Green within six, but a Bez Mbeng 3-pointer gave Yale a 36-27 halftime advantage.

"We need to end the half a little stronger," said McLaughlin. "There were a couple instances where the ball could have gone either way, a couple 50-50 balls we didn't get to. They're such a good team that you can't be down three possessions at the half. It needs to be a one-possession game, maybe up by a possession. I thought we played hard at both ends of the floor and I thought we executed fairly well, but we just didn't finish enough plays in the first half."

The Big Green started the second half by scoring five of the first seven points, as a Williams 3-pointer got Dartmouth within 38-32 with 17:31 to go in the half.

A Williams three got the Big Green within six. Yale lead is currently nine, the halftime margin, with 15:10 left in the second half.

Watch on @ESPNPlus: https://t.co/RvcVWkr9WG #GoBigGreen pic.twitter.com/CPhXyFWO2d
— Dartmouth Men's Basketball (@DartmouthMBB) March 2, 2024

Yale's answer came in the form of five straight points, which extended to a 12-2 run, to take a 50-34 lead after a Matt Knowling 3-point play with 13:54 on the clock.

One second-half highlight for Dartmouth was Neskovic scoring seven points in the span of 36 seconds, behind a pair of 3-pointers, one of which was a four-point play. That got Dartmouth within 14 at 62-48 and later 65-51, but Yale used an 11-2 run to take a 76-53 lead, on the way to the 80-56 final.

"I thought we started the half pretty strong at both ends of the floor, but missed some good looks," said McLaughiln. "They capitalized on some looks, and they just built the lead."

For the game, the Big Green shot 40.8 percent from the floor (20-of-49), including 27.3 percent from 3-point range (6-of-22). Yale finished at 55.0 percent (33-of-60) and 45.5 percent from behind the arc (10-of-22). The Bulldogs finished with a 34-24 edge in rebounds. Dartmouth had 11 turnovers to Yale's seven.

The Big Green return to action on Saturday when they travel to Brown to face the Bears. Opening tipoff from the Pizzitola Sports Center is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+.