Thursday night at the Max Stern Athletic Center felt different. Sure, the Yeshiva University Maccabees lost to the #10 Tufts Jumbos, 82-74, and suffered their third straight loss and fourth against a national title contender. However, they fought hard, unlike their previous defeats against NYU, Trinity, and Wesleyan. There’s no sugarcoating a loss, but YU finally showed they could punch above their weight.
How It Happened:
-Yeshiva kept it close early, trailing 16-12 after buckets from Samet, Zakheim, and Oselka. Yet, once the Jumbos adjusted to the Mac's 1-3-1 trap defense, there was no turning back. They went on a 13-4 run and blew the game open, nailing 10 trifectas from downtown, ballooning their edge to 52-36 at halftime.
-The Macs came out of the locker room firing, starting the second half with a 14-2 run that brought the crowd to life. They capitalized on Tufts turnovers by adjusting to a man-to-man defensive set, pushing the pace, and turning possessions into points. Suddenly, it was a four-point game, 54-50, with 13:05 left. Samet was hitting from deep, and YU looked like a team on a mission.
-After a timeout, the Jumbos regained control, hitting clutch threes, and returning to their interior domination. Whenever Yeshiva cut the lead back into single digits, Tufts found a way to respond and maintain their distance on the scoreboard.
-The Macs stayed close but never caught the Jumbos, as more timely shooting and rebounding sealed an 82-74 Tufts win.
The Macs suffered their third straight defeat, falling 82-74 to #10 Tufts at the Max Stern Athletic Center. (Photo Credit: Akiva Poppers/Macslive)
Return of the Shtark Shooter:
Samet has refound his Samet spark. The star guard awoke from his month-long hibernation, pouring in 31 points on 56% shooting, including a scorching 7-for-12 from three-point range. It was his first 20+ point game in five outings, and the Macs needed it.
Defensive Contributions Across the Board:
They yielded 82 points, but the Yeshiva defense made an admirable effort jumping the Jumbos. Eight players recorded either a block or a steal. Yoav Oselka stood tall in the paint, grabbing eight rebounds while adding two steals and a block. The team notched 10 steals and five blocks, keeping Tufts honest throughout the game.
Taking the Momentum Back to Skyline:
The loss stings, but it’s the kind of game you can build on. The Maccabees showed heart, talent, and improvement—especially on offense. If this is what they’re capable of against a national powerhouse, Skyline Conference play should be fun.
For Tufts (11-2):
-Joshua Bernstein posted career-highs of 20 points and 15 rebounds.
- James Morakis tallied 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting and went four of five from downtown, while Dylan Reilly added 14, with 12 of them coming from beyond the arc.
-The Macs limited Jumbos All-American forward Scott Gyimesi to eight points.
For Yeshiva: (4-6, 1-0):
- Zevi Samet led all scorers with 31 points. Max Zakheim poured in 15 points. Roy Itcovichi also had 14 points.
- YU were outrebounded 39-26, dropping their average rebound margin to -7.6, second to last in the Skyline Conference.
- The Macs forced 15 Tufts turnovers, and only gave it away 13 times. Yet the turnover margin is still -2.00, 11th of 12 Conference teams.
Up Next:
With their non-conference schedule now in the books, Yeshiva (4-6) has battled through the second-toughest schedule in NCAA Division III basketball, according to D3datacast.
Their opponents have a combined win percentage of 74.7%, essentially putting the Macs through the grind of a NESCAC-level conference slate before their Skyline run truly begins on Sunday, January 5th, with a 2:00 PM tip-off against University Mount Saint Vincent at the Max Stern Athletic Center.
Now, it’s time to hit the reset button. The Skyline Conference offers a clean slate, and the Macs are still hunting for that coveted Pool A bid to the NCAA tournament. It’s time to turn the lessons of this brutal intraleague stretch into Skyline success!
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