On Thursday evening, February 23, the Yeshiva University Maccabees will head to Purchase, New York, where they will take on the Manhattanville Valiants in the Skyline conference semifinals. The first meeting between the two teams ended with an 85-81 victory for the Macs. Zevi Samet led the way with 27 points, while Matan Zucker added 14 points and 14 rebounds. Manhattanville barely escaped with a win against Mount Saint Vincent in a 69-66 quarterfinal matchup.
Earlier this season, Tommy Lotito, the Valiants’ leading scorer, scored 22 against the Macs, while Jackson Leech notched a 26-point double-double. Andrew Saint-Louis came off the bench and provided a shooting spark in the Valiants’ quarterfinal win with four made threes. Senior big man Ryan Giordano anchors the Manhattanville defense, providing rebounding help and protecting the rim.
Manhattanville focuses their offense on scoring inside the three-point line and outscored the Macs 44-20 in the paint the last time they met. While they attempt far fewer three-pointers than the Macs do, they still have several capable shooters. They are also a strong defensive team, allowing the second to least points in the conference and holding their opponents to the second-to-lowest field goal percentage. A key to the game could be offensive rebounding, in which Manhattanville ranks last in the conference, while Yeshiva has allowed the second most rebounds in the Skyline.
How to Watch:
Tip-off is scheduled for 5 pm. Watch the game live here.
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