Wednesday night’s matchup between the Yeshiva University Maccabees and the Sarah Lawrence Gryphons had everything—grit, drama, and a finish no one will forget anytime soon. Unfortunately for the Macs, it ended in heartbreak, as a deep buzzer-beater from Eamon Kelly handed YU their first conference loss, 66-65. This one is going to sting for a while, but the Macs showed resilience, fighting back from a massive deficit. If they can carry that energy forward, there’s still plenty of Skyline basketball to be played.
How it Happened:
The Macs dominated the offensive boards, with Luke Cronin grabbing seemingly everything and Tom Beza bringing relentless energy on both ends.
Arthur Faulk, with his finesse and defensive awareness, made an immediate impact, and the return of big man Dothan Bardichev added a spark. Bardichev nailed a clutch three to force a Gryphons timeout, energizing the crowd and keeping YU within striking distance.
Despite their size advantage, the Macs struggled offensively in the first half, hitting just one field goal during a ten-minute cold stretch and missing critical free throws. However, their defense was rock-solid, locking down the interior and heading to the locker room with a slim 29-26 lead.
The second half began with the Macs switching from zone to man defense, but turnovers and missed opportunities allowed the Gryphons to go on a 12-2 run and build a 37-31 lead.
Andrew Kim and Eamon Kelly caught fire from deep, and Sarah Lawrence pushed their lead to 55-40 with under eight minutes remaining. The Macs’ crowd was silenced, and the Gryphons' bench erupted.
Then came the Zevi Samet show. With the Macs trailing by 15, Samet ignited a furious comeback, draining a three-pointer, scoring off a defensive stop, and sinking a four-point play to slice the deficit to just two points.
The crowd erupted as Samet continued his onslaught, tying the game with clutch free throws and even giving YU a 65-63 lead with 7.5 seconds remaining. Samet poured in 25 points, including 18 in the second half, willing the Macs back into contention.
However, heartbreak was on the horizon. With seconds left, Kelly launched a desperation heave from way beyond the arc. It swished through at the buzzer, stunning the Macs and their fans. The 66-65 loss was a crushing blow in a game that felt like it had turned YU’s way.
Zevi Samet brought the Macs back from down 15, but the effort went for naught in a 66-65 devastating defeat to Sarah Lawrence on Wednesday. (Photo Credit: Akiva Poppers/MacsLive)
Cold Shooting:
YU struggled with shot execution, especially in the second half, missing open looks and failing to capitalize on key opportunities. Theu shot just .365 from the field, allowing Sarah Lawrence to build a big lead in the middle of the game.
Sloppy Ball Handling:
Early in the second half, YU made some uncharacteristic mistakes with the ball, including poor decision-making that led to turnovers. It allowed the Gryphones to go on a 12-2 run and gain momentum.
Resilience and Heart:
Despite being down by as many as 15 points, the Macs showed tremendous fight. They made a late-game surge with clutch shots, stops, and Samet’s free throws gave them a brief lead with seconds left. Heartbreak transpired, but it was good to see Yeshiva rally instead of rolling over.
For Sarah Lawrence: (7-5, 3-0):
• Eamon Kelly had 13 points, none bigger than his buzzer-beater
• Andrew Kim led the Gryphones in scoring with 18 points.
• Chris Dougherty had ten points and 11 rebounds for a double-double.
For Yeshiva (5-7, 2-1):
• Zevi Samet had 25 points in 32 minutes , while Max Zakheim had 14 points in 38 minutes.
• The Macs made a 25-8 run to take the lead before Kelly’s half court heave.
Up Next:
The Macs travel to Manhattanville on Sunday January 12 for a conference semifinal rematch with the Valiants. Tip-off is at 12PM.