Yale Bulldogs

The Yale Bulldogs finished the 2004-05 season with a record of 11-16 straight up and 9-11-1 against the spread in a mostly down season in which they were unable to sustain any success for the majority of the season.

Promising Start

Yale began the 2005-06 season with a neutral court game against Louisiana Tech in which they scored a 69-68 win as 7.5-point dogs. That was followed by a 64-73 loss/cover at Nebraska as 15.5-point dogs for a promising start against the board at 2-0.

Hibernation

Like many Ivy League teams, however, Yale would play a significant amount of non conference games off the board in hibernation, with the dual goal of not taxing themselves for conference play along with the hope of building up confidence against weaker opponents.

The string of games off the board began with a 70-67 neutral court win over Longwood. That was followed by a 60-87 loss at Bucknell. Next was a 72-67 home win over Sacred Heart followed by a 69-73 win at home over Wagner.

Yale next traveled to Hartford where they scored a 60-76 loss. That was followed by a 71-52 home win over Hampton and then another home win, 73-70 over Navy.

Back on the board with mixed results

Yale stood at 5-4 straight up and 2-0 against the spread after that seven game stretch off the sportsbook betting boards. Starting with a game at Providence, however, they were back on the board with mixed results as they lost 63-76 as 13-point dogs for a push.

Next was a 69-79 loss at James Madison as 3-point neutral court chalks and then another respite from the sportsbooks in a 96-67 win at Savannah State, also on a neutral court.

Back on the board against Rice, the Bulldogs scored a 70-67 win as 5.5-point dogs followed by a 46-87 blowout loss at Kansas as 18.5-point dogs.

Yale then had one final respite from the board with a 71-59 win at American University.

Nice start to league play

Yale opened Ivy League play with a 75-61 home win and cover over Brown as 7-point chalks. In the second game of their home and home series against the Bears, however, the Bulldogs lost 62-67 as 1-point road chalks.

Yale was back on track at home against Harvard, however, with an 82-74 win as 2.5-point chalks. That was followed by a 72-55 home win over Dartmouth as 10-point chalks for a nice start to league play with a 3-1 mark against the board.

Brief dip

Just when it looked as if the Bulldogs were solid values on the board, however, they began to struggle starting with a 49-66 loss at Princeton as 1-point dogs. That was followed by a 52-74 loss at Pennsylvania as 15.5-point dogs. Next was a 74-67 win over Columbia as 9.5-point home overlays for a third consecutive failure to get the cash.

Solid rebound

Yale’s status as an Ivy League also-ran and recent struggles at the sportsbook served to enhance their overall board value as they headed into the Ivy League stretch run beginning with a 74-65 home win over Cornell as 3.5-point chalks. That was followed by a 64-72 win at Dartmouth as 3.5-point chalks.

Next was a 77-66 win at Harvard as 6.5-point dogs followed by a 64-68 win at Cornell as 3-point dogs. The Bulldogs then went on to win at Columbia 71-65 as 1.5-point chalks and followed that up with a 55-57 home win over Pennsylvania as 6.5-point dogs for a solid rebound in which they covered four of six games.

The season ended with a 45-56 home loss to Princeton as 4-point chalks.