PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island — One desperate Baylor basket at a time Thursday afternoon, Yale’s commanding lead shrank to something very fragile. The Bulldogs’ quest to continue their historic season required poise and playmaking right through the final seconds.
Finally, with 2.2 seconds left, Brandon Sherrod made two free throws and the Bulldogs could exhale and celebrate. Those were the final points in Yale’s 79-75 victory before a raucous, pro-Yale crowd of 11,656.
Yale, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1962, advances to face No. 4 Duke Saturday. The Blue Devils trailed No. 13 UNC Wilmington for much of the first half Thursday but held on for a 93-85 victory.
Yale and Duke have already played each other this season. The Bulldogs trailed by just two at halftime Nov. 25 in Durham, N.C., but lost 80-61.
Baylor (22-12) was upset last season as a No. 3 seed in the first round by Georgia State.
Yale (23-11) has its most victories since the 1906-07 season.
Makai Mason had 31 points for Yale, which led by as many as 13. Taurean Prince had 28 for Baylor, which chipped away to make this a stressful afternoon.
“I thought Mason really controlled the game,” said Baylor coach Scott Drew.. “We had a difficult time matching him.”
It was tied at 45 before Yale made consecutive 3-pointers — one by Dallier, one by Reynolds — to lead by six. The Bulldogs opened up a nine-point lead, 55-46, on a layup by Downey, not the first or last time Yale would go backdoor.
Justin Sears, who was on the bench with three fouls for much of the stretch during which Yale built its lead, re-entered and converted a 3-point play, scoring inside and pumping his fist as he headed to the free-throw line. That made it 60-50 with under nine minutes remaining. The lead grew to 13.
Two monster slams by Taurean Prince cut it to nine and Yale was operating without its two best post players. Sears and Brandon Sherrod were on the bench with four fouls apiece. The lead was down to six after a three-point play by Johnathan Motley, fouled while dunking on the fastbreak, by the time Sears and Sherrod were called on again.
Mason made two free throws to push the lead to 68-60, which was the score at the final media timeout with 3:52 remaining. There were more anxious moments, more answers required, for Yale. Baylor cut the lead to 68-64, but Sears responded with an inside basket and was then the central figure in a defensive stop at the other end.
The lead kept shrinking. Prince made a 3-pointer and Baylor’s pressure forced a Sears turnover and a basket. Yale lead 72-70 with just under a minute to play, but Mason made two free throws to push the cushion to four. At the other end, Sherrod drew a charge and the crowd erupted. Sears then missed two free throws and Lester Medford quickly made a layup, making it 74-72.
Yale looked like the more comfortable and confident team from the opening tip. It was clear that if the Bulldogs were going to lose, they weren’t going to beat themselves.
Mason caught fire early, making five consecutive Yale baskets at one point, and the Bulldogs led 39-34 at halftime. Mason had 17 points in the first half and Baylor kept pace because Prince was nearly as effective, scoring 12.
“You saw tonight he’s a special player, and you don’t see it every night,” Yale coach James Jones said. “He doesn’t feel like he has to do it every night. But when it’s time to step up and the lights are on, he’s ready to go.”
Sears added, “We’re not on national TV every night, so guys haven’t heard of Makai Mason before, and he just dropped 31. He should be a scholarship player at any high major program.”
Former Yale captain Jack Montague was in attendance. Montague, of Brentwood, Tenn., was expelled last month after being accused of sexual misconduct. A senior guard, he left the team with eight games remaining in the regular season.
Teammates publicly showed their support for Montague Feb. 26, wearing shirts bearing Montague’s nickname, “Gucci,” before a game against Harvard. There was backlash and criticism of that support, with numerous signs posted on campus. The team issued an apology for “the hurt we have caused” and has since had very little to say about the situation.