Busting Brackets
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Ivy League Basketball Tournament: Penn and Harvard part of 2019 field

By Pan Karalis

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: The Pennsylvania Quakers men's basketball team hold up the championship trophy after winning the Men's Ivy League Championship Tournament at The Palestra on March 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Penn defeated Harvard 68-65. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: The Pennsylvania Quakers men's basketball team hold up the championship trophy after winning the Men's Ivy League Championship Tournament at The Palestra on March 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Penn defeated Harvard 68-65. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 02: Robert Baker #35 of the Harvard Crimson reacts after making a three-point shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half at the Dean Smith Center on January 02, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 77-57. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – JANUARY 02: Robert Baker #35 of the Harvard Crimson reacts after making a three-point shot against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half at the Dean Smith Center on January 02, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 77-57. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Semifinals

Yale vs. Princeton

For as good of a season as Princeton had, they’ve yet to beat either Yale or Harvard. They swept their bitter-rival Penn to open the Ivy season, but haven’t scored a win against a tournament-bound team since then. I think they’re easy prey for a Yale team that can already smell blood in the water.

Prediction: Harvard wins

Harvard vs. Penn

Harvard bested a disappointing Penn twice already this year. Call it trusting an old adage, or a blind hunch, but I’m taking Penn to get past Harvard in this time, for the second consecutive year in the Ivy Tournament. Penn is too good and too experienced to pick them to lose to Harvard for a third time.

Yes, I can hear every Crimson fan shouting from Cambridge; I know you’re healthy, I know you’re better than last year, and I know you’re Ivy champs for a second consecutive year. But I think your return to the NCAAs is going to wait at least another year. And I’m not the only one in this camp; the betting lines narrowly favor the Quakers, as does the BPI.

Prediction: Penn wins

Yale vs. Penn

I think Penn’s upset will be limited to Saturday’s game against Harvard. Oni and the Bulldogs should be the ones taking home the trophy and cutting the nets down on their home court, and every casual basketball fan that plans to tune into this one should be excited about the prospect of a team being a favorite going into a tournament on their own court. Lee will be jumping for the Bulldogs, and the veteran team should be desperate enough to get it done.

Between winning last year and having their core likely to return in 2020, I don’t think Penn will be able to dig quite as deep as Yale. But it is a spirited group led by a great coach who just beat Yale by double digits a week ago. Expect a tough, grinding battle of a game in the final, but I would also take the safe bet in this tournament. Yale should go dancing this year.

Prediction: Yale wins

Next. Key Bracketology storylines for Champ Week. dark

But for all the effort, “insight”, and analysis I put into these picks, please remember that I picked the winner and runner up of the MAAC tournament to win a total of a single game in that tournament last weekend. Yale fans, don’t start counting your chickens too soon.