Gameday Preview: Yeshiva @UMSV

While the bitter cold has slowed the city’s usual rhythm, it has done nothing to cool the fire burning within the Macs. Winter may have emptied the sidewalks, but inside the gym, the pursuit of back-to-back Skyline Conference championships is very much alive. This year’s group has quickly begun to carve out its own identity, one defined by grit, relentless energy, and an unshakable sense of camaraderie. The effort and intensity displayed night after night bring back memories of the legendary 50-game win streak team, setting a standard few squads in Yeshiva history have ever reached. Though the Macs (3-7 overall, 2-0 Skyline) currently sit at a below .500 record, their conference play tells a different story. A perfect start in Skyline action has sparked momentum, and the belief within the locker room continues to grow. 

Now, with their conference run underway, the Macs have an opportunity to extend that streak and further establish themselves as contenders. Standing in their path are the Mount Saint Vincent Dolphins (1-9 overall, 0-1 Skyline), a hungry and determined group eager to flip the script and halt the Macs’ early-season surge. Records aside, this matchup promises to be intense. The Dolphins will be looking to make a statement, while the Macs aim to prove that their recent success is no fluke and that their championship mindset remains firmly intact. As the conference race heats up, one thing is certain: the cold outside won’t matter once the ball tips off.

The Macs are coming off yet another heartbreaking loss, an all-too-familiar feeling this season. From the opening tip, the Macs and the Illinois Wesleyan Titans traded punches in a tightly contested battle, with neither side ever finding enough separation to claim a clear path to victory. Every possession mattered, every stop was earned, and the game felt destined to be decided in its final moments. And then, in the closing seconds, the drama reached another level. 

With just under five seconds remaining, a kick-ball violation was called on Macs captain Zevi Samet. Whether it was the correct call remains up for debate, but one thing is certain: it became the kickball heard around the country that night. The whistle shifted momentum, giving the Titans possession in a moment when the margin for error had vanished. Still, the Macs refused to go quietly. They forced another loose ball, this time with no whistle, and Or Sundjyvsky, the Macs best player of the night, attacked the rim with under two seconds left, rising for what could have been a game-leading layup. Instead, he was met with heavy contact and sent crashing to the floor. As he got up beneath the basket, a technical foul was assessed. Illinois Wesleyan’s Casen Lawrence stepped to the line and calmly knocked down both free throws. Moments later, Sundjyvsky earned his chance, but could convert only one of two. Just like that, the horn sounded, and the Macs were handed another crushing loss, one defined not by a lack of effort but by inches.

The Dolphins are nearing the end of a four-game homestand, one that was disrupted by the holiday break and has yet to produce a win. Despite an 0-3 mark during the stretch, Mount Saint Vincent has shown signs of progress, particularly in its most recent outing, a heartbreaker that came down to the final moments. Against Washington College, the Dolphins fell by just two points in a game decided by a late whistle with only 0.3 seconds remaining on the clock. Though the result added another loss to the column, the narrow defeat has injected the team with renewed confidence as they search for their second win of the season Sunday afternoon.

Leading the charge is Eric Woodberry, a 6-foot-3 sophomore guard from Westchester who has emerged as the Dolphins’ primary offensive threat. Woodberry is averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds per game and is coming off one of his strongest performances of the season. In the loss to Washington College, he poured in 23 points while also contributing 8 rebounds and 4 assists, showcasing his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. With momentum quietly building despite the record, the Dolphins will look to turn competitive performances into a breakthrough result as conference play continues. With both teams coming off emotional, down-to-the-wire games, Sunday’s matchup sets the stage for a gritty, high-intensity conference battle.

The Macs seek a Sunday Funday road win against conference rival Mount Saint Vincent. (Yeshiva Athletics)

Rebounding:

The Macs have put together an excellent season on the glass so far, establishing rebounding as a pillar for success. It is an area they simply cannot afford to let slip, as failing to control the boards would leave them vulnerable as the season wears on and conference play intensifies. Monday night’s matchup marked the first time Yeshiva finished a game with a rebounding deficit since its win over NYU on December 3, a statistic that highlights just how consistent they have been in that department. Throughout the season, the Macs have made a strong effort to crash the boards on both ends of the floor. Defensively, their physicality and positioning have limited opponents’ second-chance opportunities, forcing teams to make the most of their initial looks. Offensively, that same relentless effort has extended possessions, created extra scoring chances, and worn down opposing frontcourts over the course of a game. Whether it shows up in the box score or not, the commitment to rebounding has been evident, and maintaining that edge will be essential for the Macs as they look to turn strong performances into sustained success.

Ball Movement:

Yeshiva has faced its share of struggles from beyond the three-point arc this season, an uncharacteristic challenge for an offense built on spacing and ball movement. The Macs are shooting just over 30 percent from deep, a number they would like to see closer to the 40 percent mark as the season progresses. Those difficulties have extended to some of the team’s key perimeter threats, including Zevi Samet (30.5 percent) and Dothan Bardichev (29.7 percent), who have yet to find a consistent rhythm from long range. Despite the shooting woes, the Macs remain confident in their offensive identity. Their system thrives on backdoor cuts, constant motion, and creating open looks, shots they trust will begin to fall with time. Until that regression arrives, expect Yeshiva to adjust by emphasizing scoring inside the arc, attacking the paint, and leaning on high-percentage opportunities to keep the offense humming while they search for their touch from deep.

Turnovers:

The Macs are looking to break out of a recent turnover slump that has quietly crept into their game. Since returning from the Thanksgiving break, Yeshiva has committed 18 or more turnovers in all but one contest, a troubling trend for a team with aspirations of making a national championship run. Numbers like that not only stall offensive rhythm but also place unnecessary pressure on the defense.

Protecting the basketball will be a point of emphasis moving forward. Fewer turnovers mean longer, more controlled possessions, better shot selection, and less time spent playing from behind. If the Macs can clean up their ball handling and decision-making, it could be the key to unlocking greater consistency and turning narrow losses into wins.

How to Watch:

Tip-off is at 3:00 PM at the Peter J. Sharp Center. You can also catch the game right here on the UMSV Stream.