It’s redemption time, Macs fans. After that heartbreaker against Sarah Lawrence—yes, the half-court heave by Eamon Kelly that made SportsCenter's Top 10— YU is back in action this Sunday matinee against Manhattanville. It's a Skyline Conference Semifinal rematch, as the Valiants seek to extract revenge from Yeshiva ending their season 11 months ago.
The Valiants sit just ahead of the Macs in the standings, averaging 71 points per game (fourth in the conference) to 70.8 (fifth). On defense, they allow 69 points a game, while YU gives up 74. If the stats tell us anything, it’s going to be a battle—and an opportunity for the Macs to tighten up defensively.
All eyes will be on Zevi Samet, who’s averaging 18.7 points per game and has dropped 20 in back-to-back games. The question is, can he keep it rolling against Manhattanville’s Andrew Saint-Louis? Saint-Louis leads the Valiants, averaging double figures consistently and coming off an 18-point performance. It’s shaping up to be a fun matchup to watch.
Manhattanville’s last game was a tough one. They fell to Purchase 88-64, getting outshot and outrebounded in the process.
They allowed the Panthers to hit 55% of their shots and dominate the paint with 42 points. While Saint-Louis and John Ranaghan combined for 34 points, Manhattanville struggled to keep up defensively and on the boards. The Valiants will be hungry to bounce back, but so is YU.
The Macs need to come out with energy, lock in on defense, and capitalize on their opportunities. It’s all about heart, grit, and execution.
Zevi Samet will look to leads the Macs to a Sunday Funday win against the Valliants. (Photo Credit: Akiva Poppers/MacsLive)
Win the Battle on the Boards:
Rebounding has been a weak spot all season, but against Manhattanville, it’s an opportunity to flip the script. The Valiants are struggling even more on the glass, with a -5.8 rebounding margin to our -4.7. If the Macs can crash the boards with urgency and limit second-chance points, it’ll be a game-changer.
Defend the Perimeter:
Manhattanville leads the Skyline in three-point shooting, hitting 34.3% of their attempts. Our perimeter defense has been solid, holding opponents to under 30% from deep. If YU can contest shots and close out hard, they’ll force them to look elsewhere for points—something they haven’t done as efficiently.
Get to the Line and Convert:
This one feels like a no-brainer. The Macs are the best free-throw shooting team in the conference at 80.8%, while Manhattanville struggles at just 67.7%. Drawing fouls and getting to the line could be the difference in a tight game. If they stay aggressive and take advantage at the stripe, Yeshiva will put themselves in a great position to walk away with the win.
How to Watch:
Tip-off is at 12PM from Manhttan. You can Erani the game here