Gameday Preview: University Saint Joseph @Yeshiva

Wednesday felt like the Macs finally exhaled, leaving with their first win of the season in six tries. Tonight? They get the team that’s been sitting on their chest for three years. This matchup has always carried weight, but this season it hits different. It’s the final ride for this core, the last chapter of a group that’s lived every high and low together. If they want this season to mean something, if they want to actually own the moment instead of being owned by the narrative, it starts by getting the Saint Joseph Blue Jays off their back. Three wins, three losses is the personal history they’re staring at. 

Wednesday’s win over NYU didn’t erase any flaws, but it showed something we hadn’t seen yet this year: fight. The Macs coughed up 21 turnovers—again. They left free points at the line—again. But they rebounded the ball harder, defended with urgency, and closed. That matters. That win felt like the first step toward becoming the team they believe they can be.

The question now is whether they can turn that into momentum.

We know the stars. Zevi Samet is still the guy everything gravitates toward. Max Zakheim sets the tone with pace and pressure. The motion offense looked smoother Wednesday, and the defense—while still a work in progress—held its ground when the game tightened.

Yet, USJ brings their usual toughness. Freddy Feldrappe is their engine, the matchup problem that forces YU to communicate and rotate with precision. Lence Altenor is steady, aggressive, and annoyingly good at navigating pressure. And stylistically, the Blue Jays do what they always do: man-to-man toughness, quick decisions, fast breaks, high-percentage shots. They challenge your discipline every single possession.

Then there’s the building itself. Wednesday night, the Max Stern woke up. The crowd mattered. NYU felt the noise. You could feel the momentum physically shift. YU is going to need that again, because if there was ever a night to flip the narrative, it’s this one. 

Win the Possession Battle — Somehow, Some Way:

You can’t give Saint Joseph extra possessions. Twenty-one turnovers might fly against NYU on a weird night, but the Blue Jays will punish every single mistake. It has to be the cleanest ball-handling game of the season—simple reads, sharp cuts, two-hand catches, and no forcing the spectacular. If YU keeps the turnover number in the teens, they give themselves a chance. If it creeps past 20, the Jays will run right through them.

Make Them Uncomfortable in the Halfcourt:

USJ’s entire identity is built on rhythm and shot quality. They hunt 50% shots. So YU’s defense has to disrupt. Closeouts must be tight, communication must be crisp, and rotations must be automatic. Force them late into the clock. Make Feldrappe hesitate. Make Altenor play east–west instead of north-south if the Macs can turn those “easy Blue Jays possessions” into “gritty Blue Jays possessions,” the whole tone of the game shifts in their favor.

Ride the MSAC Like It’s a Sixth Starter:

Forget X’s and O’s for a second: the building matters tonight. Wednesday showed what a loud, locked-in home crowd can do. It rattled NYU. It energized YU. It swung moments. Against a team you’ve never beaten, you need every intangible possible. The Macs have to feed off the noise, off the momentum, off the runs that start with the bleachers standing before the bucket even drops. If the Max Stern Athletic Center is alive again, it becomes a weapon—one the Blue Jays aren’t used to feeling in this building.

Watch Live:

Tip-Off is at 8:30PM from the Max Stern Athletic Center. You can watch the game here