An opening in China

Evan Ellis ’12/Yale Athletics

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The men’s basketball team started their season in November far from home, with a trip to China: they went to play in the fourth annual Pac-12 China Game. During a week of activities, the Bulldogs toured the headquarters of retail giant Alibaba with the company’s billionaire cofounder, Joe Tsai ’86, ’90JD, and won an exhibition game with a Chinese college all-star team (left). In Shanghai, Yale beat Cal 76–59 in an impressive display as Tsai and basketball legend Yao Ming watched courtside. At the post-game press conference, the Chinese media focused its attention as much on Yale’s academic reputation as on the game. Head coach James Jones told the crowd that “Yale is known for excellence in everything we do, and athletics is no different.”