Cornell vs. Yale Prediction, Odds & Score Picks: Ivy League Final Best Bets

The stakes can't get any higher with a place in March Madness on the line as Cornell takes on Yale in the Ivy League Conference Final. Here is our prediction for today's game.

Shane Jackson

Last Updated: March 16, 2025 7:00 AM EDT • 6 minute read

Cornell vs. Yale Prediction, Odds & Score Picks: Ivy League Final Best Bets — Yale Bulldogs guard John Poulakidas shoots against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Photo by Matt Krohn via Imagn Images

Yale (21-7) is one win away from returning to the NCAA Tournament following last year’s first-round upset of the Auburn Tigers. Cornell (18-10) stands in their way as the teams will meet in the Ivy League Conference Final at noon ET on Sunday at the Paul Bailey Pizzitola Sports Center (ESPN).

Yale is a 5.5-point favorite to win its fourth Ivy League championship since this tournament was formed in 2017. Our Cornell vs. Yale prediction, odds, and expert picks analyze the chances of the Bulldogs winning and covering the spread.

💰 Cornell vs. Yale predictions, expert picks & best bets: Ivy League Conference Final

Here are my best Cornell vs. Yale predictions, expert picks, and best bets today for the Ivy League Conference Final with my pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale. Be sure to check out the rest of our college basketball picks along with our guide on how to bet on college basketball.

Against the spread pick: Yale -5.5 (-110 via BetMGM) vs. Cornell ⭐⭐⭐
My best prop bet: Yale Over 84.5 points (+105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Exact score prediction: Yale 88, Cornell 80 (+17000 via DraftKings) ⭐

👉 Check out our latest March Madness projections with our SBR Bracketology ahead of the NCAA Tournament!

🏀 Cornell vs. Yale ATS prediction & best player prop bet pick

Here's why I'm betting on Yale to cover the spread (-5.5) while targeting the Bulldogs' team total Over 84.5 (+105) as my best prop bet pick for today:

✅ Yale to cover the spread (-5.5) ⭐⭐⭐

Yale seeks to become the first No. 1 seed since Princeton in the inaugural edition to win the Ivy League tournament. I’m betting on the Bulldogs to do just that after winning 14 of 15 games since Jan. 1, covering the spread nine times.

The Bulldogs were laying -11 at home the last time these two teams met, so the market offers a discount following their 59-57 escape of Princeton on Saturday. However, Yale controlled that game early by racing to a 12-point lead.

Cornell hasn’t been able to stop Yale in either of its two regular-season matchups, and I don’t see that changing in the title game. I’d back the Bulldogs under two full possessions.

📊 Best odds: -110 via BetMGM (bet $10 to win $9.09)

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🔥 Yale team total: Over 84.5 points ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Don’t be fooled by Yale’s 59-point effort on Saturday. The Bulldogs averaged 82.6 points per game during conference play, leading the Ivy League with an offensive efficiency of 119.1.

You can count on a track meet when these two teams play; just look at the regular-season scores:

Feb. 8: Yale 103, Cornell 88
Feb. 21: Yale 92, Cornell 88

Yale’s team total opened at 83.5 because KenPom projects an 84-78 victory, but I prefer to take advantage of plus-money prices in the alternate market. Sunday, the Bullodgs' offense should bounce back in a big way.

📊 Best odds: +105 via DraftKings (bet $10 to win $10.50)

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

🎯 Expert Cornell vs. Yale score prediction & AI projections

🔮 Expert score prediction: Yale 88, Cornell 80
🤖 AI score prediction: Cornell 75, Yale 72

🔮 Expert score prediction: Yale 88, Cornell 80

Featuring two of the top offensive teams in the league, the Ivy League championship game should be a track meet. Ultimately, I expect Yale to prevail and notch a tourney berth to cap off an impressive season.

📊 Best odds:+17000 via DraftKings (bet $10 to win $1,700)

🤖 AI score prediction: Cornell 75, Yale 72

(Score prediction and analysis via ChatGPT - a large language model from OpenAI. While ChatGPT is not specifically designed for predicting sporting events, it can spot trends or insights that bettors might overlook.)

🖥️ AI predictions for Cornell vs. Yale

AI favours the underdogs in a high-paced game with more volatility and a projected final score of Cornell 75, Yale 72.

Win probability: Yale 61.3%, Cornell 38.7%
Projected total points: 147
Key takeaways:

Thanks to their strong defense and balanced scoring, Yale enters as the favorite with a 61.3% win probability
However, Cornell’s fast-paced offense keeps them competitive, making this a game that could go down to the wire
Yale thrives on controlling the tempo and playing disciplined defense, while Cornell looks to speed up the game and capitalize on three-point shooting

🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI score prediction leans toward Cornell covering the spread (+5.5) and a total of Under 160.5 points.

📊 Live Cornell vs. Yale odds & latest betting splits

Here are the latest odds for Cornell vs. Yale, which update live in real time. You can also check out our NEW college basketball player prop odds tool for the latest college basketball odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your region.

🔢 Cornell vs. Yale opening odds

Here's a look at the opening odds for Cornell vs. Yale, according to BetMGM.

Spread: Cornell +5.5 (-110) | Yale -5.5 (-110)
Moneyline: Cornell +195 | Yale -235
Over/Under: Over 160.5 (-110) | Under 160.5 (-110)

🏆 Who will win Cornell vs. Yale?

As of 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Yale is favored by 5.5 points to beat Cornell with moneyline odds of -250 at BetMGM, which suggests a 71.43% win probability for the Bulldogs. We're predicting an 88-80 win for Yale as our final score projection.

So far, 63% of bettors have wagered against the spread on Yale -5.5, while 71% expect the game to finish Under the projected total of 160.5 points.

📺 How to watch Cornell vs. Yale today

📅 Date: Sunday, March 16
🕗 Time: Noon ET
📍 Location: Paul Bailey Pizzitola Sports Center (Providence, RI)
📺 TV: ESPN
💻 Streaming: ESPN+

❓ Cornell vs. Yale FAQs

Who's favored to win the Ivy League Conference tournament?

Yale is favored to win the Ivy League tournament.

Who is favored to win Cornell vs. Yale?

Yale is -250 to win, carrying an implied probability of 71.43%.

What are the betting odds for Cornell vs. Yale?

The latest spread has Cornell +5.5 (-110) | Yale -5.5 (-110), with a total of 160.5 points (-110).

What will be the final score of Cornell vs. Yale?

We're predicting a final score of Yale 88, Cornell 80, entering today's matchup at Paul Bailey Pizzitola Sports Center in Providence, RI.

What time is Cornell vs. Yale today?

Tipoff for Cornell vs. Yale is today at Noon ET.

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Written by:
Shane Jackson

Shane Jackson has been writing for Sportsbook Review since 2022, though his passion for sports, writing, and betting runs much longer than that. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a journalism degree in 2017 and has been covering sports ever since, working for MLB.com, Manhattan Mercury, Lawrence Journal-World, WynnBET, Bet Chicago Sports, BetNOLA, and BetMGM. Jackson cares about creating quality sports betting content above all else. He uses a mixture of models, information, film, analysis, and a top-down approach to locate every best bet shared for SBR. He never gives out a pick that he wouldn’t be willing to spend his own money on. Jackson is focused on finding +EV bets on a daily basis for a variety of sports such as NCAAF, NCAAB, NFL, NBA, WNBA, and MLB. He usually bets on props but is willing to wager on a spread or total when there is an edge. Don’t ask him how many bets he has placed on a typical college football Saturday. Jackson doesn’t care if you follow him on social media, but his Twitter account has info on how you can follow his bets through multiple third-party platforms. He just wants you to read all the great work from the SBR team.

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