Gameday Preview: Yeshiva vs NYU

Legendary football coach Bill Parcells used to say that “you are what your record says you are.” Often, narratives surround teams with poor records, claiming they underperform due to the absence of key players, bad luck, or a difficult schedule. The Macs believe they are truly better than their 0-5 record indicates and that they are poised to start winning games. I spoke to first-year team manager Kobe Kurtz, and he expressed this sentiment clearly, stating that “the panic level within the locker room is zero.” With that being said, digging yourself into a 0-5 hole to start the season is not the best recipe for success. The Macs have lost games in a multitude of ways to some of Division III’s best teams. While they got blown out against defending champion #1 Trinity (CT) and #2 Randolph-Macon, they took #15 University of Mary Washington and #4 Tufts to overtime, despite eventually losing those games.

The recent Tufts game served as a good litmus test to see how this year's squad compares to last year's, as the 2024-2025 Macs were eliminated by the Jumbos in the first round of last year's NCAA tournament. Although the Macs also lost this time around, they showed a lot of improvement from last year's contest. In last year’s tournament matchup, the Macs were outrebounded 64-33, but this year they showed tremendous improvement on the boards, outrebounding Tufts 34-33. This major improvement was the primary contributor towards the Macs being in control for most of the game, compared to last year, where they were down by 20 at halftime and were defeated by 17 points. Yoav Oselka led the way on the glass with 10 rebounds. When looking at the strength of the Macs' early-season schedule, it is clear that they are not scared of failure; rather, they are embracing the difficulties of playing some of the best talent in the country. Head coach Elliot Steinmetz highlighted this challenge-embracing mentality: “We will play anyone, anywhere, anytime. Not because we think we are great, but because we aren’t afraid to try and become great.”

Max Zakheim and the Macs look to snap their early season drought and pickup their first win of the season agaist their crosstown rivals. (Photo Credit: MacsLive)

Rebounding:

In order for the Macs to win this Wednesday, they will need to replicate the rebounding intensity shown against Tufts. The Macs definitely have the talent to be a great team this year, but consistency on the glass is paramount. The Tufts game proved that when YU commits to boxing out, they can compete with the nation's elite big men. To beat a team of NYU's caliber, last year's Division III runner-up, the Macs must ensure that the performance against Tufts was not an outlier, but the new standard. If Yoav Oselka and the forward rotation can once again control the boards and limit second-chance points, they will force the Violets into a half-court game where Yeshiva's motion offense can thrive.

Playing all 40:

The Macs have shown they can hang with ranked opponents for 40 minutes, taking two top-25 teams to overtime, but now they must find the closing gear. Last year, they were defeated 89-53 by the Violets, so this year's matchup is another important point of reference. The talent is there, and the improvement is visible, but the execution in the final minutes must be sharper. Avoiding the scoring droughts that have plagued them in crucial moments will be essential to turning a competitive effort into a mark in the win column.

Maintaining Effort:

Finally, the Macs must treat this as a massive opportunity to reestablish their national identity. The Macs have qualified for two of the last four NCAA tournaments by winning the 2022 and 2025 Skyline Conference Championships, yet in both the 2022 and 2025 NCAA tournaments, they were eliminated in the first round by Johns Hopkins and Tufts, respectively. The Macs are looking to turn themselves into a dangerous tournament team again, and beating NYU this coming Wednesday is a huge opportunity to take a step towards achieving that goal. A win here doesn't just fix the record; it validates the brutal early-season schedule and proves that this team is ready to return to March with a vengeance.

How to Watch:

Tip-off is at 8:00 PM at the Max Stern Athletics Center. You can also catch the game right here on the MacsLive YouTube Channel.