Yale Stuns Baylor In Thriller, Earns School’s First-Ever Tourney Win (Videos)

It didn’t take long for the underdogs to put the “Mad” in March Madness this year.

In just the fifth game of Thursday’s first-round NCAA Tournament slate, the West Region’s No. 12 seed, Yale, built up a huge lead over No. 5 seed Baylor and held on late to earn a stunning 79-75 upset win at Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, R.I.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a surprising lead thanks to the stellar play of Greenfield, Mass., native Makai Mason, who dropped 17 of his game-high 31 points in the first half.

Yale led by as many as 13 points late in the second half, but the Bears clawed back, going on a monster run to pull within two points thanks to athletic plays like this one from Taurean Prince.

Prince’s 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining put Baylor in a position to tie or take the lead on the game’s final possession, but guard Lester Medford coughed it up with a game-losing turnover.

https://twitter.com/TheCauldron/status/710580651741700096

Yale’s wild win was the first NCAA Tournament victory in school history, as the Bulldogs hadn’t been to the Big Dance since 1962. It did continue a recent strong showing by Ivy League schools, however, as Harvard upset Cincinnati as a No. 12 seed back in 2014.

All that certainly is cause for celebration, which is exactly what Yale did after the win.

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The Bulldogs can bask in the glow of victory for now, but they’ll face a tough test in the second round Saturday against No. 4 seed Duke in an ultimate battle of the brains.

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Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images