In a game which saw the Macs have several strong scoring surges, they failed to keep pace with #9 NYU’s sharpshooting, falling by a final score of 97-78. The Violets hammered the Macs' help defense and shot the lights out to hand Yeshiva their second loss on the season.
How it Happened
NYU started off strong, jumping out to a 18-6 lead, led by Cinque Stephens' 7 points.
NYU then extended their lead to 27-11 as Michael Savarino knocked down multiple three pointers.
The Macs persevered, making a 20-3 run that put them in the lead 31-30, with the crowd erupting behind them.
Entering halftime the Macs were down 46-36, with freshman sparkplug Ben Haber leading the Macs with 10 points.
Zevi Samet carried the opening to the second half, catching fire and scoring 7 straight points along with a block to trim NYU’s lead down to 3.
Quinn Clark proceeded to dominate in the paint through offense created by star PG Spencer Freedman, laying in shots with ease to push NYU back to a double-digit lead.
The Macs made a final push, with Or Sundjyvsky and Ben Haber leading the charge to bring the Macs within 2 points, 59-57.
The Macs, however, were unable to keep up with NYU’s high scoring offense as the Violets pulled ahead 72-61 and never looked back.
Michael Savarino and Spencer Freedman ended up being too much for the Macs to handle, as they combined to shoot 12-19 from three-point range, putting the game out of reach.
Perimeter Defense
NYU shot a staggering 59% from three-point range, consistently knocking down wide open shots. New York University's entire offense was dribble drive and kick, and consistent Macs over and under-commitments in help resulted in consistent wide open shots. The Macs will need to figure out how to guard the paint in the future without leaving the wings and corners wide open.
Breakout Star
Freshman Ben Haber broke out in last night’s game, scoring 17 points and grabbing 9 rebounds--5 offensive--while shooting almost 90 percent from the field. With Or Sundjyvsky, Zevi Samet, and Max Zakheim making up the majority of the Macs' points this year, they hope tonight's breakout performance by Ben Haber can continue to be a consistent source of production.
For NYU (3-1)
The Violets got the majority of scoring from their guards, as Michael Savarino and Spencer Freedman led their team with 29 and 21 points respectively.
As a team, the Violets shot an impressive 59% from three, as well as 59% from the field.
They held the lead for 97% percent of the game, never lifting their foot off the gas.
For Yeshiva (3-2, 1-0 Skyline)
The Macs paced the Violets in blocks and steals, with 6 and 10 respectively.
Zevi Samet continued his terrific shooting, shooting 56% from the field.
Or Sundjyvsky rebounded after a tough game, ending the game with 19 points and shooting 43% from three.
Up Next
The Macs will look to finish off their homestand with a win on Sunday Afternoon, November 19th. Their opponent will be Nichols College, an Elite Team from last season, with tipoff at 3:00 PM in the Max Stern Athletic Center.
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