Penn wins Ivy League tourney and punches ticket to NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018

ITHACA, N.Y. — Penn is going dancing.

On Sunday, after defeating Harvard in the semifinal round the previous day, Penn faced top-seeded Yale for a chance at its first Ivy League tourney title (and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament) since 2018.

Despite being underdogs and missing the team’s leading scorer, Ethan Roberts, the Quakers powered through in overtime — thanks to TJ Power’s 44-point, 14-rebound performance, which earned him Ivy League tournament MVP honors.

“I want to credit God first,” Power said. “This year, my journey at Penn’s been a faith journey as much as anything else. And I just put this one in God’s hands, if I’m being honest. I let go of that attachment to performance, or anything like that, and he delivered.”

Power hit two three-pointers in the last seven seconds of regulation to send the game to overtime, Michael Zanoni hit a pair of free throws to seal the 88-84 victory.

First-year coach Fran McCaffery has led his fifth program to an NCAA Tournament berth, an achievement that only five other coaches in history have pulled off.

“They’re all incredible,” McCaffery said. “But I do think this was a little different. Not only coming home to my alma mater, I just feel blessed to have this opportunity. I feel blessed that I had the group of guys that I had when I first met them.”

Penn will learn its seeding and opponent in the NCAA Tournament during the tournament selection show today at 6 p.m. The Quakers plan to stay in Ithaca for the show.

Power was lights out from the tip-off, scoring 23 points in the first half before continuing his hot streak in the second. Yale attempted different matchups against the sharpshooter, but no one could get a hand up as Power made 7 of 14 shots from three. He also went 9-for-9 on free throws.

The Massachusetts native broke the record for most points scored by a men’s player in the Ivy League tournament and tied the all-time record set by Harmoni Turner of the Harvard women in 2025.

“I didn’t start the game off the way I really wanted to,” Power said. “I was a little tired from [Saturday], but I started attacking the rim, and once I saw one go in from three, I knew it was go time, and I knew how to be aggressive for us to win.”

With the Quakers down six with less than three minutes remaining, Power scored Penn’s final 10 points — including two miraculous shots to send the game to overtime.

In overtime, Penn held Yale to 3-of-9 shooting from the floor, sealing a championship for the Quakers faithful.

“I was feeling good,” Power said of his final shot in regulation. “I thought I was going to catch and they were [going] to foul. They didn’t. They kept backing up, so I just kept pushing it down the floor. And, Casey [Simmons], he’s a good shot blocker, so I put a little extra [arc] on it.

“I knew that if I could get one off, it was going to go in.”

Penn found a surprising offensive boost from senior guard Cam Thrower, who saw an increase in minutes because of the absence of Roberts, who is out with a concussion. The only Big 5 senior not to transfer during their four years in the league, Thrower saw his loyalty pay off with a chance to star on the biggest stage.

Thrower finished with 19 points, a career high while going 4-for-6 on three-pointers.

“He played all year long like a veteran,” McCaffery said. “He’s also a versatile guy. He can play the point, he can play the off-guard position. He makes threes, but he also defends and rebounds, so you can switch with him. And he’s smart, he’s sort of fearless.”

The California native’s offensive output helped stave off Yale’s efficient attack, which featured Nick Townsend (17 points), the Ivy League Player of the Year, and Simmons (17 points), the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year. Trevor Mullin led the Bulldogs with 22 points.