On Tuesday, November 12, the YU Macs (1-1) will take on the Springfield Pride (0-1) in Yeshiva’s homecoming game. Yeshiva is coming off an Ohio road trip where they took down #19 Mount Union on Friday. The Macs were firing on all cylinders. After spending Shabbat in Cleveland, they traveled to Wooster with hopes of returning home with a perfect 2-0 record. However, the Macs struggled to execute, particularly in the second half, and were defeated by Wooster 85-64 on Sunday. The Macs will look to right the ship in this game vs Springfield. The Pride are one of the most storied franchises in all of Division III and are looking to return to the top of the division after a rough few seasons. The Pride are led by graduate student Jarren Evans who shot an efficient 11/12 from the field in the Pride’s only game this season. The Macs will have to be at the top of their game; a win will set them back on track towards a successful season.
Dothan Bardichev and the Macs seek some home cooking in their first game of the season at the Max Stern Athletic Center against Springfield. (Akiva Poppers/Macslive)
Rebounding:
During the Macs’ first game against Mount Union, they did a great job of containing All-American Christian Parker and the Purple Raiders on the glass. Against Wooster, however, the Macs struggled to compete and were outrebounded 40-28. The added size this year has definitely benefited the Macs: Luke Cronin has been performing well and Yoav Oselka had a career day vs Wooster. The Macs will have to be vigilant on the boards to pull this one out.
Patience on Offense:
In the Macs’ first game against Mount Union, the offense was humming and players were being patient and making smart passes. One of the keys to this offense is players making the right passes at the right times. Usually, when the offense falls out of sync, it’s because players are forcing things or aren’t making the correct passes. The Macs will have to get the ball in the high post and continue to make smart passes to take down the Pride.
Defensive Intensity:
The Macs are a strong man-to-man team, which means that the players need to understand their rotations and stay strong defensively. The Macs are at their best when they play lockdown defense, containing their opponents’ attacks. The Macs have put a large emphasis on defense in practices and on gameday, as they feel an improved defense could be what sets this team aside from the next. If the Macs communicate well, rotate properly, and play strong defense, they should be able to tick another tally in the win column.
How to Watch:
Tipoff is scheduled for Tuesday 8pm at home in the Max Stern Athletic Center. You can watch the game on the MacsLive YouTube channel.
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