ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Interstat) — In a commanding season-opening performance, the Yale Bulldogs overwhelmed the Navy Midshipmen 97-68 in a non-conference men’s basketball game Friday night at Alumni Hall.

The Bulldogs seized control early with a 15-2 run in the first half and never looked back, leading by as many as 31 points in the second half. Yale’s offense was ruthlessly efficient, scoring 97 points on 77 possessions for an offensive rating of 126.1, while Navy managed just 68 points on 76 possessions for a rating of 89.1.

Nick Townsend led the charge for Yale, scoring 23 points and adding nine rebounds and five assists. Riley Fox provided a massive scoring punch off the bench, pouring in 24 points in just 21 minutes of play. The duo’s offensive firepower was complemented by a dominant defensive presence from Samson Aletan, who swatted away five Navy shots.

The game was effectively decided in the first 20 minutes. After a back-and-forth opening few minutes, Yale’s defense clamped down, forcing Navy into difficult shots and turnovers. The Bulldogs closed the first half on a 16-3 surge, capped by a Trevor Mullin three-pointer at the buzzer, to take a 46-31 lead into the break.

The second half offered no respite for the home team. Yale opened with a 14-2 run, extending its lead to 27 points and silencing the crowd of 1,958. The Bulldogs’ ball movement was sharp, resulting in 11 assists against just 10 turnovers, while their defense was disruptive, tallying 11 steals and forcing Navy into 19 total turnovers. Yale converted those miscues into 30 points.

Offensively, Yale shot 50% from the floor, connecting on 12 of 26 attempts from beyond the arc. They were also efficient from the free-throw line, making 19 of 23 attempts. Navy, by contrast, struggled from deep, making only 3 of 14 three-point attempts.

For the Midshipmen, Jinwoo Kim led the scoring with 16 points, while Austin Benigni added 14 points and four assists. Donovan Draper contributed eight points, nine rebounds and two blocks in the losing effort.

With the victory, Yale opens its season 1-0. Navy, which defeated Presbyterian in its opener, moves to 1-1.

Yale next travels to face in-state rival Quinnipiac on Tuesday. Navy will hit the road for a matchup against Penn State, also on Tuesday.