Macs Survive Late Scare, Hold Off Dolphins, Improve to 3-0 in Conference Play
- Marvin Azrak
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
This was supposed to be easy.
On paper, it had all the makings of a comfortable afternoon for the Macs — a Sunday road date against a struggling team in the Skyline conference. A chance to breathe, experiment, and maybe even coast a little. And early on, that’s exactly how it looked. Coach Elliot Steinmetz mixed and matched lineups from the start, gave bench players real minutes, and allowed the rotation to stretch out. Yeshiva played its B game and still controlled things—missed bunnies, some sloppy possessions, but nothing alarming. Up ten at the half, up double digits most of the way — the plan seemed clear: work on combinations, get depth involved, don’t worry about running it up.
Then things got uncomfortable. The Dolphins refused to go away. What had been a game where YU appeared to be sleepwalking through had suddenly turned into a test of composure. A 15-point lead evaporated. A late 17–6 Mount Saint Vincent run cut it to two. With 26 seconds left, the Macs were staring at a 76–74 game that absolutely did not feel like it should’ve been this close.
Yet we at Macs Nation have been through worse this year. Thankfully, Yeshiva leaned on its experience — and its poise — to survive. Two clutch free throws from Max Zakheim. Two more from Yair Dovrat, and we can all exhale. Yeshiva 80, Mount Saint Vincent 74.
The Macs improved to 4–7 overall and stay perfect in conference play at 3–0, and while it wasn’t pretty, it counts the same.
How It Happened:
Yeshiva treated the opening minutes like a lab, not a battlefield. Coach Elliot Steinmetz rolled out different combinations early, spreading minutes across the bench as the Macs played a loose, experimental first half.
Even with missed layups and open looks, YU took control when Max Zakheim drilled a three to grab the lead for good just two minutes in.
The Macs quietly squeezed the game, pushing the margin to nine midway through the half and heading into the locker room up 43–33 after a late surge.
Out of the break, Yeshiva looked ready to end it. The lead ballooned to 15, the Dolphins looked outmatched, and the game appeared headed for a routine finish.
Then Mount Saint Vincent cranked up the pressure, attacked the paint, and found life from beyond the arc.
A furious 17–6 Dolphins run erased nearly the entire cushion, slicing YU’s lead down to two points with just 26 seconds remaining.
What had been a comfortable afternoon suddenly turned into a pressure test.
The Macs didn’t blink. Calm possessions, strong ball security, and four clutch free throws from Zakheim and Yair Dovrat slammed the door, sealing an 80–74 escape and another Skyline win.
Taking advantage of the Charity Stripe:
Against Illinois Wesleyan, the Macs lost on free throws. Here, in a two-point game with seconds left, Max Zakheim and Yair Dovrat were automatic, combining for four clutch free throws to close it out.
Statistic Sunday:
Offensively, the production came from the usual suspects. Zevi Samet led the way with 19 points, setting the tone on both ends and wreaking havoc defensively with six steals. Dovrat followed with 16, including key buckets and free throws late, while Yoav Oselka chipped in 13 and flirted with a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds, two steals, and a block.
Defensively, Samet and Oselka were everywhere. Passing lanes disappeared. Loose balls got scooped up. Even when the Dolphins surged, YU never fully lost its footing.
To their credit, the Dolphins played with pride. Eric Woodberry was sensational, pouring in 26 points and dragging UMSV back into the game possession by possession. Blake Salice-Mitchell battled inside. Joel Gado punished switches in the paint. Three straight threes late in the game made things real in a hurry.
It wasn’t the field day many expected. It was messy. It was closer than anyone wanted. Yet it was also a conference win — and another example of this team learning how to close, even when the game refuses to cooperate.
Sometimes, surviving is the lesson.
UP NEXT:
The Macs will take on the defending gold division champions as they travel up to Sarah Lawrence on Wednesday, January 7. Tip-off will be at 6pm.