Macs Dominate Maine–Farmington, Punch Ticket to Sweet 16

After surviving a Round of 64 nail-biter against Bates on Friday afternoon followed by a relaxing Shabbat, the Yeshiva University Maccabees returned to the floor Saturday night and delivered something very different.

Behind balanced scoring, relentless rebounding, and a roaring pro-Macs crowd that made the gym feel anything but neutral, YU overwhelmed the University of Maine-Farmington Beavers 92-69 at Panzer Athletic Gymnasium to punch its ticket to the Sweet 16 for the second time in program history.

And the most surprising part?

They did it with Zevi Samet ice cold from three.

How It Happened:

• Max Zakheim opened the scoring for the Macs, and YU quickly got out in transition, with Yair Dovrat connecting with Yoav Oselka to give the Macs an early 4-0 lead as Macs Nation immediately made its presence felt.

• Farmington leaned heavily on Jason Reynolds early. The Beavers’ big man scored their first nine points, using footwork and strength to keep the game tied early while YU focused on face-guarding star scorer Zach McLaughlin.

• Bardichev and Oselka stabilized the offense. With Samet being face-guarded and Dovrat stuck on the bench with two early fouls, Dothan Bardichev knocked down a corner three while Oselka established himself inside as the Macs built a cushion. 

• McLaughlin and Reynolds kept Farmington alive. The Beavers’ two stars combined for the majority of their first-half offense, with McLaughlin hitting tough threes late in the half to cut the deficit to a single possession.

• Bardichev and Zakheim hit back-to-back threes, Nate Jacobs battled for multiple offensive rebounds, and Samet buried a fadeaway buzzer-beater as YU closed the half on a 12-0 run to take a 47-34 halftime lead.

• Dovrat sparked the second-half surge. Returning from foul trouble, the freshman guard immediately hit a three and followed it with an and-one finish before flexing on the boisterous blue and white fans as YU pushed the lead to 57-38.

• Nate Jacobs delivered one of the most energetic stretches of the game with a steal, multiple offensive rebounds, and a finish inside as the Macs finished off a 16-0 spurt to take control at 63-38, and the Cleveland native had fans chanting his name. 

• Oselka continued to dominate the interior, controlling the paint, scoring efficiently, and finishing through contact while also winning the rebounding battle as YU stretched the lead to 72-52.

• Farmington’s offense was relegated to the McLaughlin show. The Beavers’ star sophomore guard finished with 31 points, but the Macs’ defense limited production from the rest of the lineup. 

• The Macs cruised to the finish. With the lead at 81-60 and a couple of minutes remaining, head coach Elliot Steinmetz emptied the bench as the YU crowd broke into “Sweet 16” and “ATL” chants which is where the Macs are headed next.

  
  

Yoav Oselka Controlled the Interior:

The biggest matchup concern coming into the game was Maine-Farmington’s ability to rebound, especially after Jason Reynolds dominated the glass throughout the season and posted 25 points and 21 rebounds in their upset against Montclair State on Friday. The Beavers rely heavily on second-chance opportunities to fuel their offense, especially when their perimeter shots aren’t falling. It was the Macs who controlled the paint from start to finish.

Yoav Oselka delivered a dominant performance with 24 points and 11 rebounds, consistently finishing inside and protecting the rim defensively. His presence forced Farmington to play away from the basket and eliminated the 50/50 opportunities that fueled the Beavers’ upset of Montclair the night before.

The result was a massive rebounding advantage for YU, as the Macs outrebounded Farmington 41-28 and outscored them 48-14 in the paint. 

Ball Movement Tore Farmington Apart:

This game showed how connected YU was offensively. The Macs created for each other over and over again, constantly moving the ball, finding the next man, and forcing Farmington to defend multiple actions in the same possession. That’s why the offense never felt stuck, even with Zevi Samet struggling from downtown. Yair Dovrat finished with 6 assists, Yoav Oselka had 4, and Dothan Bardichev added 2. Still, the bigger story was the collective unselfishness. Bardichev hit big threes, Oselka controlled the paint, Jacobs provided second-chance points and had the game of his life, and Dovrat attacked the lane. The Beavers simply couldn’t keep up with the combination of spacing, cutting, and ball movement.

Samet’s Struggles Became Everyone Else’s Opportunity:

The Skyline Player of the Year finished just 1-for-10 from beyond the arc with 16 points, something that rarely happens for a top 22 scorer in Division III history. On most nights, that type of shooting performance would put serious pressure on YU’s offense. Instead, it had the opposite effect.

Because Farmington was determined to lock down Samet and limit his perimeter looks, the attention the Monsey Mamba commanded opened space everywhere else on the floor. With defenders locked onto the Shtark Shooter, lanes opened for cutters, the ball swung freely around the perimeter, and 92 points later, the Maccabees are still dancing. Yet perhaps the most important part was how Samet handled the night.

He stayed patient within the motion offense, continued screening and moving without the ball, and impacted the game in other ways. When opportunities presented themselves inside the arc, he attacked the rim and made plays for teammates.

In many ways, the tilt showed the maturity of both Samet and the Macs as a team.

Earlier in the season, a cold shooting night from their leading scorer might have stalled the offense. Instead, the Macs leaned on their system, trusted their depth, and allowed others to carry the scoring load.

The result was one of their most complete team performances of the season, at the right time, and a reminder that this group is far more than a one-man show as they dance into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2020.

Up Next:

The Macs will fly to Atlanta for a sweet 16 matchup with Emory. Tip-Off is Friday March 13th at 1:00PM. Tickets will be available via credit card at the door of Emory’s Woodruff PE Center beginning at 11:30AM. Fans can also purchase tickets at the gym Thursday between 10AM-3PM. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for Students, and $10 for seniors. Parking is limited on campus and available in the Peavine Vistor Lot/SP+Parking (located next door to the gym at 27 Eagle Row) for a cost.