NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Interstat) — Nick Townsend scored 25 points to propel Yale to a 91-74 men’s basketball victory over Columbia on Monday afternoon at Payne Whitney Gymnasium. The Bulldogs improved to 13-3 overall and remained atop the Ivy League. The Lions fell to 12-6. Townsend, a 6-foot-7 junior from Chappaqua, New York, added eight rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. Samson Aletan supported him with 18 points and seven rebounds for Yale, which led comfortably for most of the contest. Connor Igoe scored 11 points for Columbia, while Mason Ritter and Kenny Noland added 12 and 13 points, respectively. Yale’s defense proved stifling, holding the Lions well below their season scoring average in a game where it was a heavy pregame favorite. The teams will meet again in New York on Feb. 28.

Preview: Columbia Lions at Yale Bulldogs NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Interstat) — A pivotal early Ivy League men’s basketball clash is set for Monday afternoon as the Yale Bulldogs host the Columbia Lions at Payne Whitney Gymnasium. Both teams enter with identical 12-win overall records, but Yale (12-3) holds the momentum advantage. The Bulldogs are coming off a dominant 102-68 conference victory over Cornell on Saturday, a game in which forward Nick Townsend shined with 20 points and eight rebounds in just 25 minutes. Townsend has been a consistent force, averaging 15.3 points over his last four contests. Columbia (12-5), meanwhile, looks to rebound from a tough 86-80 overtime road loss at Brown that same day. The Lions have dropped two straight conference games after opening Ivy play with a win. Guard Kenny Noland, the team’s primary scoring threat, paced Columbia with 18 points in the loss to Brown. Noland has shown high-level scoring ability this season, including a 27-point performance at North Florida and a 23-point outing in the league win at Cornell. The matchup features a contrast in recent trajectories. Yale’s defense has been stifling in Ivy play, holding Brown to 53 points earlier this month. Columbia’s offense, which averages over 80 points per game, will be tested. The Lions have proven capable on the road with non-conference wins at North Florida and Fairfield. This game marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 28 in New York. With the tightly contested Ivy League race offering no postseason tournament, every conference game carries significant weight for NCAA Tournament aspirations. Yale will rely on its home-court advantage, where it is 6-1 this season. Columbia seeks to steady its league campaign and hand the Bulldogs their first Ivy loss. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST.