Yale's Jack Montague withdraws from program

Bad news for Yale in its quest to qualify for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1962, as captain Jack Montague has withdrawn from school and is no longer part of the team.

Montague, who had missed the past four games for personal reasons, is not eligible to return to school until the 2017 fall semester, as per school policy. With just three months remaining in the senior's academic career, the move certainly comes as a surprise, given the harsh penalty associated with personal withdrawal.

The Tennessee native is the fourth-leading scorer on the top school in the Ivy League standings, pouring in 9.7 points per game, while also adding three assists. He hasn't played since a Feb. 2 win over Cornell, but the Bulldogs have posted a 3-1 record in his absence.

The Bulldogs, who are one game up on Princeton in the table, face Harvard in a rivalry contest Friday. It's imperative Yale remains in the win column as the Tigers hold a game in hand on the schedule. Unlike other leagues, the Ivy sends the regular-season champion to the NCAA tournament, not the conference tournament champs.