Yale men’s basketball rallies for another March Madness upset over No. 4 seed Auburn

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Yale men’s basketball team rallied from behind to defeat No. 4 seed Auburn in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday night, marking the second tournament win in the program’s history. 

Junior John Poulakidas led the charge for the 13th-seeded Bulldogs with 28 points to help Yale come back from a 10-point deficit midway through the second half of the game. Solid defense in the final minutes of the game gave way to Yale’s 78-76 victory. 

Head coach James Jones of the Yale Bulldogs celebrates with his team in the locker room after a 78-76 victory against the Auburn Tigers in the first round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 22, 2024, in Spokane, Washington.  (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

"I don’t know if that’s the best win in Yale basketball history, but I will tell you that’s the best basketball team that we’ve beaten in Yale basketball history, as far as I’m concerned," Yale coach James Jones said in the postgame presser. 

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"Princeton made the Sweet 16 last year, and we were at home, they beat us in the championship, and each and every one of the guys in the locker room were just itching to get our opportunity," senior August Mahoney, who added 14 points, said. 

"Our opportunity presented itself. We know how good we are, so we believed."

For the second straight year, an Ivy League team has beaten a Power Five champion in the first round. Last year, it was Princeton toppling Arizona. This year, Yale carried on the tradition. 

Yale guard Yassine Gharram (24) stands on a table after celebrating with fans after Yale upset