Penn rallies with late 3s to force OT, stuns Yale for Ivy title

Ivy League tournament No. 3 seed Penn overcomes late deficit to win conference championship and NCAA tournament bid

Mar. 15, 2026 at 7:42pm

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The No. 1 seed Yale Bulldogs appeared headed to the NCAA tournament with a 73-69 lead over No. 3 seed Penn in the final seconds of the Ivy League championship game. But Penn's TJ Power hit two clutch 3-pointers in the final 6.7 seconds to force overtime, and Penn went on to win the game 88-84 and clinch the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Why it matters

This dramatic comeback win for Penn denies Yale an NCAA tournament bid and marks a major upset in the Ivy League tournament. Penn's ability to rally late and force overtime shows their resilience and clutch performance under pressure, which will serve them well in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

The details

With Yale leading 73-69 and just 12 seconds remaining in regulation, Penn's TJ Power hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one. After Yale missed the front end of a one-and-one, Power hit another 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game and force overtime. In the extra period, Penn outscored Yale 15-11 to secure the 88-84 victory and the Ivy League's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

  • The Ivy League championship game was played on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
  • Penn hit two 3-pointers in the final 6.7 seconds of regulation to force overtime.

The players

TJ Power

A player for the Penn Quakers who hit two clutch 3-pointers in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime and lead his team to victory.

Yale Bulldogs

The No. 1 seed in the Ivy League tournament who were on the verge of clinching an NCAA tournament bid before Penn's late comeback.

Penn Quakers

The No. 3 seed in the Ivy League tournament who rallied late to stun Yale and clinch the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

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What they’re saying

“We never gave up. Even when we were down late, we knew we had the fight in us to come back and win this thing.”

— TJ Power, Penn Quakers player (Yahoo Daily News)

What’s next

Penn will now advance to the NCAA tournament, where they will look to make a deep run after their dramatic Ivy League championship victory.

The takeaway

This thrilling comeback win for the Penn Quakers showcases the unpredictability and excitement of March Madness, as the underdog team rallied late to stun the tournament favorite and punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament.