Under the Radar Game of the Day – Saturday, December 20, 2014: Albany at Yale

Albany at Yale, 2:00 PM Eastern, No TV

The Under the Radar Game of the Day heads to Connecticut this afternoon as the Ivy League’s second best team, the Yale Bulldogs, host the defending America East conference tournament champion Albany Great Danes (or UAlbany according to their uniform tops).  The Great Danes have struggled so far this season, with their best win having come a week ago, knocking off cross-town rival Siena.  They sit at 3-6 on the season with a KenPom rating of 185.  Despite their overall record, that rating is good enough for third best in their conference behind only Vermont and Stony Brook.

Today’s game will be a tall challenge for the Great Danes as they head to New Haven for their battle with Yale.  The Bulldogs enter today’s game with a record of 9-3 and a KenPom rating almost 100 points better than Albany’s, at 86.  Yale has already scored a huge road win over Connecticut, becoming the first in-state team to win at UConn in almost thirty years.  Their only losses were at Florida, at Providence and a double overtime loss to Quinnipiac on the first day of the season.  The question that may need to be answered this March is whether or not both Yale and Harvard are good enough to make the NCAA tournament, especially if both teams roll through the Ivy League and can win their remaining non-conference games.  For Yale to be in that conversation, they will still need to pass their remaining non-conference road tests at Sacred Heart, Vanderbilt and NJIT, as well as making sure they do not slip up at home today.