How to watch San Diego State vs. Yale in second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament

How To Watch:

Sunday, March 24th

Yale vs San Diego State (7:40 pm MT) | Coverage: TBS

Odds:

DraftKings Line:

Yale/San Diego State: -5.5 San Diego State, O/U 129

(Odds/lines subject to change. Visit DraftKings for more information.)

Beat UAB - check. Advance to game against Auburn - check. Whoa wait!! The Yalies overturned the apple cart. Aztecs vs. Bulldogs in the second round.

The eventual path to the Sweet Sixteen is most likely through UConn, and a rematch of last years National Championship game, but Yale smoothly inserted themselves into the conversation. Known for Lawyers, Politicians and Judges, the Yale Bulldogs dispatched Auburn 78-76 in a frenzied, dramatic contest. The Ivy League is making it a habit of taking down favored seeds. Last year Princeton took down Arizona and this time Yale demanded a piece of the action. Yale patiently waited since last year for their opportunity to shine. Guard John Poulakidas showed the Bulldogs deserved to be in the tournament by scoring 28 points and helping to lead a rally in the last few minutes to ice the game. Auburn, a 14 point favorite, had steamrolled through the SEC tournament and established themselves as a potential Final Four team. The Tigers led for much of the game and had a ten point margin with seven minutes left. Yale mounted a 20-8 run with consistent shooting and made free throws. Auburn struggled missing five free throws in the last three minutes. The Tigers were without guard Chad Baker-Mazara who was ejected with a fragrant 2 foul in the early going.

Aztecs take care of UAB

Meanwhile, the Aztecs were in a tightly contested game against Alabama-Birmingham. Jaedon LeDee led the way for San Diego State with 32 points and 8 rebounds. Lamont Butler had a strong support with 15 points. The Aztec bench provided 14 points. The key for the Aztecs was of course Jaedon LeDee. Too much LeDee as he dominated inside the paint creating fouls. LeDee was also 9/10 from the free throw line, a key statistic as he creates free throw opportunities for himself. UAB was led by guard Efrem Johnson with 19 points. Team leader Yaxel Lendeborg was held to 11 points and fouled out towards the end of the contest. So what can the Aztecs expect from their game against Yale on Sunday. More of a patient offense that relies on screens and backdoor cuts. Besides Poulakidas, Yale relies on guard August Mahoney, who had 14 points and 7’0 forward Danny Wolf who added 13 more points. Yale is disciplined and effective in all areas of the game. While they have a big man, they are susceptible to points in the paint, something that San Diego State is adept at accomplishing. Look for more of Butler, Jay Pal, Micah Parrish and Darrion Trammell to force Yale to shoot beyond the arc. Yale dominated Auburn making 9/20 three’s so the Aztecs will need to press and create turmoil and confusion. The Aztecs are the more talented team and has a deep bench. Yale is light on the bench, only providing 11 points in their win against Auburn.

Mountain West Disappointments

The Mountain West meanwhile ran into a first-round buzzsaw. After an impressive win over Virginia, Colorado State went cold in their 56-44 loss to Texas. Boise State bowed out early in the First Four, losing to Colorado 60-53. New Mexico let their frustrations overwhelm them as they were completely flummoxed in their 77-56 drubbing against Clemson. And in what was the greatest indignity was Nevada’s Hindenburg moment. They gave up a 17-point lead and wound up losing 63-60 to Dayton. While the Fliers were seeded 7, Nevada controlled most of the game until they were steamrolled 24-4 to close out the game. So far the Mountain West has a 3-4 record. Most pundits were hoping the conference would advance a few more teams out of the first round. Stiffer competition awaited. The only remaining conference teams are the Aztecs and Utah State who dominated TCU 88-72. The Aggies have a matchup against #1 Purdue on Sunday in the Midwest Second Round. If they can pull off the upset, they will face Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. The Aztecs are undoubtedly hoping to have a rematch with UConn. The Huskies are looking strong now, peaking as they did last year in time for the tournament. Regardless of the tournament outcome, the conference experienced an outstanding year, putting them on the national radar and sports talk shows. With upsets like Oakland, James Madison, Duquesne and Grand Canyon, there certainly is room for a few more. I think Purdue is too much for Utah State. San Diego should be able to dispatch Yale in a close game. Expect Jaedon LeDee to get 30 points and hold Yale star Joyn Poulakidas to less than 20. This will set up a rematch with the UConn Huskies. If this game materializes, I predict an Aztec upset, 64-62 over UConn. Revenge is a dish best served cold. The Aztecs hope to open that can and dish out the Purina.