Big second half propels Yale to victory over UAlbany

New Haven, CT — An impressive second half by the Yale Bulldogs gave themselves a comeback victory over the visiting UAlbany Great Danes by a score of 59-55 Saturday afternoon at John J. Lee Amphitheater on the campus of Yale University.

The hosts were down seven at the half after UAlbany controlled both sides of the ball in the opening 20 minutes, but the Danes offense went cold in the final 20 and the Bulldogs took control of the boards to give the hosts an 11-point advantage and take the four point victory.

Albany shot 56.5% in the first half, but could only account for a 33.3% in the second, going 0-for-6 from behind the three-point line. After UAlbany got off to a good start in the second half, Yale went on a 14-3 run to reverse the momentum and give the Bulldogs a five-point lead with just under five minutes left.

Albany would hang around, getting back-to-back scores from Joe Cremo (his only field goal of the game) and David Nichols, but a third chance layup from Jordan Bruner and key missed free throw by Cremo sealed the game for the Bulldogs.

With 22 seconds left and UAlbany down 56-55, Cremo contested a Miye Oni runner that didn’t go to give the ball back to UAlbany. David Nichols would cross the timeline with 13.4 seconds left, and after a play was drawn up after UAlbany Head Coach Will Brown for Cremo, he would be fouled with 7.4 seconds left. Cremo would head to the line for the one-and-one, but the Danes second leading free throw shooter at 85.1% would backrim the front end.

After a couple UAlbany fouls put Yale in the bonus and sent Trey Phills to the line with 4.5 to go, Phills would hit the first free throw to make it a two-point game. The backend would be tipped around, and Blake Reynolds pulled down the rebound. A pair of free throws by Alex Copeland would seal the game with 2.7 seconds left.

It was revealed afterwards by Brown that Cremo had been fighting an injury throughout the game after hurting himself at some point in the opening half. Brown said he wasn’t sure what Cremo hurt, although he believed it to be a groin injury and the severity was not known, and Brown let him continue to play because Cremo wouldn’t say anything to anyone about it. Cremo was not made available to the media.

Cremo would finish 1-from-8 from the field, and Brown noted after that he believed the injury was a factor in the sophomore guards performance and was the reason he only took a limited number of shots and was quick to give the ball up.

Greig Stire would finish with his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and David Nichols would have team-highs with 14 points and 5 assists. Anthony Dallier and Alex Copeland each led the Bulldogs with 15 points apiece.

UAlbany (4-4) return to action Wednesday when they host Marist at 7:00 PM at SEFCU Arena.

-Jayson Palatsky(@518SportsJP)