As the Yeshiva University Maccabees entered Amherst, they hoped that the height of their opponents would not prove to be too much of an issue. True to their name, the Amherst College Mammoths presented seven players 6’7” or taller. Yeshiva had none. However, Yeshiva didn’t shy away from the challenge. They engaged in a shootout with their adversaries, giving them a holiday season scare. Yet it wasn’t meant to be, as Amherst led throughout the contest and withstood the Macs' late 21-5 push for a 92-80 victory on Sunday afternoon at LeFrak Gymnasium.
How it Happened:
The Mammoths blitzed with a quick 12-0 run for an early 16-3 lead. They pushed the pace, imposed their size, and defended aggressively.
The Macs responded, getting hot from behind the arc and forcing an Amherst timeout with a 10-2 run of their own.
The teams settled down and tried to work their offensive schemes into the contest. The key for Amherst was using their size advantage for rebounding, while the Macs looked to get to the free-throw line anytime they could.
The Mammoths took control heading into halftime, hitting their three-point shots. A Bobby Sommers outback gave Amherst a 45-35 lead at intermission.
Both teams went back and forth in transition to start the second half, trading buckets.
The rebounding prowess of Amherst allowed them to extend possessions and wear down the Maccabees. Sommers took advantage with a three, giving the Mammoths a 65-51 lead with 12:30 minutes remaining.
With a big lead, Amherst increased their defensive pressure, and Yeshiva cracked. A C.J. Mitchell three-pointer ballooned the Mammoths' lead to 75-55 with 7:35 left.
The Macs didn’t go down quietly. A Zevi Samet three called an 11-0 run and sliced Yeshiva’s deficit to 76-68 with 4:20 left.
With momentum, Yeshiva kept coming. A steal and a Samet layup brought them within 78-73 with three minutes to go in the game. Samet continued to catch fire from downtown as the Macs drew closer.
The game boiled down to the charity stripe, where the Mammoths prevailed and put enough separation on the scoreboard to seal the victory. A Will Scherer slam punctuated the contest. Despite finishing the game on a 21-5 spurt, Yeshiva left the gym with a 92-80 loss.
The Macs put up a fight but fell short to the Mammoths 92-80 in Amherst.
Out rebounded:
The Mammoths entered the game averaging 48 rebounds a game, including 16.5 offensive rebounds per tilt. They started the season out rebounding opponents by 12 or more boards a game. They kept that trend going in this one. The Macs were outrebounded 45-21, including 16-2 on the offensive glass.
Painted down low:
As expected, Amherst dominated down low, outscoring Yeshiva 42-16 in the paint. They also outscored them 13-2 in second-chance points. The Macs couldn’t only keep up with the size, but also the speed of the Mammoths.
Beat at their own game:
As a small group, the Macs love the three-ball and rely heavily on it. They were hoping to use their strength to match Amherst’s points in the paint at the other end. However, Yeshiva was beaten in that category. They shot 46.4% from beyond the arc (13-28), while the Mammoths were opportunistic by shooting 50% (11-20) on their three-point attempts.
For Yeshiva:
Zevi Samet scored 26 points, and as the Amherst broadcast noted, extended the Macs’ streak to 10 games where they’ve had someone score at least 20 points. He also had four rebounds, tough to do against Amherst.
Or Sundjyvsky added 17 points and Max Zakheim had 14, along with two rebounds.
The Macs outscored the Mammoths 25-20 in transition; which aided their comeback efforts.
For Amherst:
Will Scherer had a career day with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
Bobby Sommers scored 18 points, including a buzzer-beater at halftime.
The Mammoths led the entire way, never giving the Macs much hope for a win.
Up Next:
The Maccabees return to conference play on Wednesday on the road against Manhattanville. It’s the first meeting between the two teams since the Valiants eliminated Yeshiva in the Skyline Conference semifinals last season.
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