Fueled by a Gianna Aiello ’25 double-double and 14 points from Grace Arnolie ’26, women’s basketball (12-15, 6-8 Ivy) ended their season on a high note with a 53-44 road win over Ivy League rival Yale (4-23, 3-11) on Saturday.
Less than 30 seconds after tip-off, Aiello set the tone for Brown, finishing a nifty layup at the rim. Aiello — who recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 18 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday — was named Academic All-Ivy for her success on the court and as a computer engineering student, the Ivy League announced Tuesday.
Defensively, Bruno was outstanding. From smooth switches on the perimeter to strong box-outs, the Bears stifled the Bulldogs’ offense early, allowing just seven points in the first quarter. At the same time, the Bears received offensive support from Olivia Young ’27, who scored an and-one layup at the basket and drained the free throw to give the Bears a three-point lead after the first quarter.
Both teams’ defenses plateaued in the second quarter, as the Bears and Bulldogs started to hit hard-to-block shots. The Bulldogs relied on three-point shooting, running offensive sets that freed up their guards around the perimeter. To Bruno’s dismay, Yale’s strategy proved effective, and the Bulldogs retook the lead with just three minutes left in the first half.
But Brown did not allow the momentum shift to break them. Isabella Mauricio ’25 knocked down an impressive three-pointer that energized the Bears and handed them a 24-22 lead as the half came to an end.
Back on the court after halftime, Beth Nelson ’26 picked the Bears up right where they left off, finishing a crafty layup at the rim and knocking down a three-pointer soon after. But Yale matched the Bears’ offensive production, scoring points of their own from inside the paint. After an aggressive battle during the third quarter, Brown led 39-35.
With a narrow lead, the Bears had to remain defensively sound in order to win. Spearheaded by Arnolie, Brown did just that. Arnolie impacted all aspects of the game in the final quarter, aggressively driving and drawing fouls, knocking down free throws, grabbing defensive rebounds and recording two steals.
With additional scoring in the final minutes from Mauricio and Mady Calhoun ’26, Brown secured the victory 53-44.
Saturday’s win in New Haven left Bruno with a 6-8 Ivy League record, putting the Bears in a tie-breaker situation with Penn (15-12, 6-8). But Brown’s hopes of securing the final Ivy Madness spot were crushed, as Penn — against whom the Bears are 1-1 this season — remained above Brown in NCAA NET rankings.
Cooper Herman is a senior staff writer covering sports. He is a sophomore from Alexandria, Virginia studying Economics and International and Public Affairs.
