CBB Review hands out awards for each conference tournament in 2024. Up next: The Ivy League Tournament.
The Ivy League Tournament preview was a big whiff. The two semifinal games went precisely the opposite of what was expected. The championship game was between 2-seed Yale and 4-seed Brown. With 27 seconds left, it looked like Brown was punching their ticket to the NCAA tournament as Kino Lilly Jr. sank two free throws, putting the Bears up 60-54. Bez Mbeng took over, making a jumper and getting fouled for a 3-point play, 60-57. On the inbound, Yale fouled with 21 seconds left, Nana Owusu-Anane went 1-for-2 scoring Brown’s last points of the games. Mbeng passed to John Poulakidas for a 3-point jumper, making it a one-point game. Another inbound foul put Malachi Ndur on the free throw line, where he missed them both. Yale grabbed the rebound. The team was fouled and had to inbound off the sideline, they got the ball in bounds, and with one second left, Mbeng again, drove and found Matt Knowling wide open for a jumper for the win.
The Yale Bulldogs are a 13-seed in the East region and get a rough draw in 4-seed Auburn in Spokane, Washington.
CBB Review Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player
August Mahoney, Yale
This would have been an easy answer if the Browns Bears had won, as Lilly was an offensive weapon for his team. However, with Yale winning, It was close between Danny Wolf, Poulakidas, and then, of course, the winner, August Mahoney.
Mahoney was the weapon the Bulldogs needed to pull this off. He shot 50% from the field and 75% from 3-point range while making his two free throws. Mahoney was a well-rounded weapon after facing off against Cornell, where his only shots were behind the arch, and he went 5-for-9. He ended the Ivy League Tournament, shooting 61.5% from 3-point range and 52.6% from the field. While playing very differently in the two games, Mahoney pushed this team over the edge for the win.
CBB Review All-American East Conference Tournament First Team
- G: August Mahoney, Yale – 2 GP (15.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 52.6 FG%, 61.5 3P%)
- G: Kino Lilly Jr., Brown – 2 GP (24.0 PPG, 6.5 APG, 2.5 RPG)
- G: Matt Allocco, Princeton – 1 GP (20.0 PPG, 3.0 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.0 SPG)
- F: Kalu Anya, Brown – 2 GP (12.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG)
- F: Danny Wolf, Yale – 2 GP (14.0 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 1.0 APG, 3.0 BPG, 1.0 SPG)
Yale’s NCAA Tournament Prediction
Round of 64