Macs Survive Scare Against NJCU, Win 50th Straight

The Macs sought their 50th consecutive victory on Wednesday as they traveled to New Jersey City University to take on the Gothic Knights. The first half was completely dominated by YU, as they outscored NJCU 49-28. The second half was a much different story. The Gothic Knights showed resilience and fight as they almost completed a 24-point comeback against the #1 ranked team in Division 3. The Macs were led by superstar Ryan Turell, who dropped a game high 41 points. NJCU was led by Derryen White, who scored 27 points on 50% shooting.

Ryan Turell's 41 points led the way for the Macs (Photo Credit: Shimon Lindenblatt)

How It Happened:

• The Macs came out strong, as they were up by double digits fewer than 10 minutes into the ball game.

• The Macs went into halftime with a comfortable 49-28 lead.

• As the second half went on, the Gothic Knights began slowly chipping away at YU’s lead.

• NJCU took advantage of poor play by Yeshiva, and all of a sudden the score was just 80-71 YU with 5:00 to play. Ryan Turell had 40 of his team’s 80 points.

• The Macs just could not hit their free throws towards the end of the game, which kept NJCU in the contest.

• The closest NJCU got to YU was 85-80 with 3:20 remaining in the game.

• The Macs defense came up big when they needed to down the stretch, and they held on to win 93-86.

Strong Start:

The Macs played near flawless basketball in the first half. They outscored NJCU by 21, shot over 51% from the field, and had 10 assists. Ryan Turell contributed 20 points.

Brutal Second Half:

YU played an absolutely atrocious second half, giving up 58 points. This team was unrecognizable. Their offense came to a sudden halt, they could not hit a free throw, and their defense disappeared. On a night when the Macs had an opportunity to showcase mental toughness and put NJCU away for good early in the second half, Yeshiva showed a stunning display of mental weakness.

Have To Be Better From The Line:

Although the Macs did pull out a victory, it was not so pretty. YU shot an underwhelming 65% from the foul line, going 21-32. The Macs have struggled this year from the line, and it nearly cost them tonight.

For New Jersey City University:

• Derryen White led the scoring for NJCU with 27 points.

• Ryan Savoy almost finished with a double-double, adding 9 points and 10 rebounds.

• The Gothic Knights scored a whopping 58 second half points.

For Yeshiva:

• Turell was outstanding, scoring 41 points on 17-25 shooting.

• Matan Zucker had multiple huge baskets and rebounds down the stretch to secure the victory for the Macs.

• Reef, despite poor free throw shooting late, played a solid all-around game, dropping 20 points, 6 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals.

• Gabe Leifer added a crucial 9 points and 10 boards.

Up Next for the Macs:

Yeshiva will host #4 Illinois Wesleyan University at the MSAC on December 30th at 8:00 PM in a must-watch contest. Stay tuned to MacsLive on social media for details regarding that game.

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