Penn vs. Yale Prediction, Odds, How to Watch Ivy League Tournament Final

A trip to the NCAA Tournament is on the line on Sunday at noon, as the Ivy League Tournament Final tips off with the Yale Bulldogs (24-5) taking on the Penn Quakers (17-11) for the third time this season.

The Bulldogs won both meetings between these teams during the regular season, picking up a 17-point win on the road and a four-point win at home as part of their impressive 11-3 record in Ivy League play.

The Bulldogs finished the regular season with the No. 1 seed in the Ivy League Tournament, and they’ve won eight of their last nine games.

Do-it-all forward Nick Townsend is the driving force for the Bulldogs, as he leads them in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game this season.

On the Penn side, it finished third in the Ivy League standings during the regular season, going 9-5 in 14 games. The Quakers have also won eight of their last nine games, but they struggled offensively against Yale, combining for just 130 points in two games.

Can the Quakers pull off an upset to secure an NCAA Tournament bid?

Let’s take a look at the odds, a player to watch and my prediction for the Ivy League Tournament Final.

Penn vs. Yale Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

Penn +9.5 (-108)
Yale -9.5 (-112)

Moneyline

Penn: +350
Yale: -465

Total

142.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Penn vs. Yale How to Watch

Date: Sunday, March 15
Time: 12:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Newman Arena
How to Watch (TV): ESPN2
Penn record: 17-11
Yale record: 24-5

Penn vs. Yale Key Player to Watch

Nick Townsend, Forward, Yale

Townsend does it all for the Bulldogs, averaging 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game across 28 games this season. He had 15 points, five rebounds and six dimes in Saturday’s semifinal win over Cornell.

Townsend played in just one game against Penn this season, finishing with 17 points, and he’s not a player that needs a ton of volume to put up impressive scoring numbers. The senior is shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from 3-point range so far this season.

Penn vs. Yale Prediction and Pick

Both of these teams can really shoot the 3-ball at a high rate, as the Bulldogs are third in the country in 3-point percentage while Penn clocks in at No. 15.

However, overall success of these offenses is a much different story. Yale is No. 35 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency, which allows it to rank No. 76 in the country in KenPom’s overall rankings. Penn falls much further behind, sitting at No. 215 in adjusted offensive efficiency and outside the top-150 in KenPom’s rankings.

The Quakers have not been able to beat the Bulldogs this season, and they’ve been held to 70 or fewer points in both games. However, I don’t love a bet on the total in this game since both teams play at a very different pace.

Yale is 325th in the country in adjusted tempo while the Quakers clock in at No. 85.

Ultimately, Yale’s shooting is the difference in this game. The Bulldogs are an elite offense, ranking 20th in the country in effective field goal percentage and 24th in turnover rate.

Penn, on the other hand, is just 229th in eFG% on offense and 200th on defense.

It already has a 17-point loss to the Bulldogs this season, so I don’t mind laying the points with Yale Sunday.

Pick: Yale -9.5 (-112 at FanDuel)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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