On Saturday night, December 4th, the Yeshiva University Maccabees will play host to the College at Old Westbury Panthers. In their first two games this week, Yeshiva went undefeated as they beat Manhattanville College and Farmingdale State College. The Macs’ winning streak is now at 45 games and they are still hungry for more. The Macs have won their past 6 games against the Panthers, most recently in a blowout 87-63 win in December of 2020. Ryan Turell was efficient in that game with 32 points on 13-19 shooting.
The Panthers enter this matchup with a 4-3 record, and are 0-1 in conference play. Yeshiva, on the other hand, is 9-0 with a 6-0 record in the Skyline Conference. The Panthers are currently on a two game losing streak and are seeking revenge at the MSAC.
The Panthers are led by junior guard Zachary Cummings who averages 22.4 points and 6 assists per game. He has led his team in scoring the past three games with 17, 29, and 21 points with respectable shooting numbers. The Panthers average just north of 90 points per game and give up 88.
Keys to the game:
Defense:
The Panthers are a high-scoring team as they average 90 points per game and have three players who average at least 17 points per game. The Macs haven’t allowed more than 70 points in a game all season. If the Macs can contain Zachary Cummings and the Panthers, they should hold on to win as the Panthers have allowed a whopping 88 points per game.
Size Advantage:
The Panthers are not the tallest team to ever be assembled. The tallest player is Michael Green who stands at 6’3”. If the Macs use their size and bang down low they should be able to take care of business. Expect big rebounding games from Gabe Leifer and Jordan Armstrong.
Free Throw Shooting:
With the Macs having a size advantage over the Panthers, they should look to get to the basket as often as possible. Shorter defenders tend to usually reach in and use their hands more often to try and compensate for their lack of height which leads to foul calls. The Macs shot 15-18 from the line last game and hope to continue their strong free throw shooting in this game.
How to Watch:
Tip off is scheduled for 8:30 PM and will be broadcast on Macslive.
MacsLive:
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