Busting Brackets
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Ivy League Basketball: 2021-22 power rankings midway through conference play

By Tristan Freeman

Nov 14, 2021; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Yale Bulldogs guard Azar Swain (5) against the Seton Hall Pirates during the second half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2021; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Yale Bulldogs guard Azar Swain (5) against the Seton Hall Pirates during the second half at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ivy League Basketball Tosan Evbuomwan Princeton Tigers (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Ivy League Basketball Tosan Evbuomwan Princeton Tigers (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

2. Princeton Tigers – 16-5 (6-2)

A 5-0 start in league play and a gaudy overall record set the Tigers up to be the best team in the Ivy League but the team has had a recent setback, losing two straight to Yale and Cornell. They did bounce back last week with a 22-point win over Columbia, led by 27 points from Ethan Wright.

That scoring outburst pushed the senior guard to lead the team now with 15.7 ppg and 7.3 rpg, just over Jaelin Llewellyn (15.3 ppg) and all-around playmaker and breakout star Tosan Evbuomwan, averaging 15.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg, and 5.1 apg. That doesn’t even include 11.0 ppg scorer Ryan Langborg in the lineup, part of a top-15 scoring offense nationally.

From a talent perspective, Princeton has the best team in the Ivy League. But last week has opened it up to the other contenders to make some noise now as well. And with four of the last six regular-season games for the Tigers coming on the road, they’ll have a fight on their hands to win the regular season and eventual conference tournament title.

1. Yale Bulldogs – 13-9 (7-1)

Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, something the Bulldogs have been the last four wins. Each of them came by six points or fewer and any of them could’ve ended with a loss. But getting back-to-back wins over Tommy Amaker and Harvard was extremely impressive and they also got the pivotal 80-74 road win over Princeton, led by 10 points and 10 rebounds over Bez Mbeng.

The clear leader of this team in Azar Swain, who averages 19.2 ppg on the season. He’s had at least nine points in every single game this season, including a career-high 37 points in a win over Columbia. Senior Jalen Gabbidon is the only other double-digit scorer on the roster at 11.6 ppg but with Swain’s consistency and the rest of the rotation doing enough on a daily basis, the Bulldogs are good enough to be at the top of the standings.

Next. Top-30 mid-major power rankings. dark

Yale has a loss to Penn but a win over Princeton on the road and has both of them coming up at home, giving them an advantage in the regular-season title race. We’ll see if they can hold serve at home and claim that No. 1 seed in the Ivy League Basketball Tournament, while also having to avoid the other two contenders until the finals.