NCAA Round of 32 Preview: Maine-Farmington Vs Yeshiva

March Madness doesn’t slow down for anyone.

After surviving a thriller against Bates, the Yeshiva University Maccabees now head back to Montclair State and face the Maine-Farmington Beavers.

Both teams arrive in the Round of 32 riding massive upsets.

YU knocked off Bates 71–69 in a dramatic finish powered by Zevi Samet’s scoring explosion and Max Zakheim’s clutch free throws with 0.2 seconds left.

Meanwhile, Maine–Farmington stunned host Montclair State Red Hawks men's basketball 96–84, exploding offensively, beating their trademark press, and proving they belong in the tournament’s second round.

This game is about two teams playing their best basketball at exactly the right time.

Meet the Beavers:

The Beavers are not built around one star and a supporting cast. They’re a fearless and balanced bunch.

Five players average double figures, and despite having no seniors in the rotation, they play with confidence and offensive freedom. That makes them difficult to defend because scoring can come from multiple sources.

Yet two players truly drive everything.

The first is Zach McLaughlin, one of the most prolific scorers in Division III. Averaging 25.5 points per game, he’s capable of taking over stretches of a game by himself, much like Zevi Samet is for the Macs. McLaughlin is comfortable shooting from deep, attacking off the dribble, and creating his own shot late in possessions. If he gets rolling, he can put pressure on a defense very quickly.

Then there’s Jason Reynolds, the player who may have been the biggest reason Farmington shocked Montclair.

Reynolds is a rebounding machine, averaging over 15 boards per game, which is among the best marks in the country. In the upset over Montclair, he poured in 25 points and grabbed 21 rebounds, dominating the glass and creating extra possessions.

He’s not just a traditional interior big either. Reynolds can step out and shoot, hit face-up jumpers, and stretch defenses to open space for teammates.

How are they Different From Bates?

This matchup will feel different from YU’s first-round tilt. Bates wanted to slow things down and play physically in the half-court.

Farmington is much more willing to run and score. Their upset over Montclair showed exactly how dangerous they can be when the pace rises. Ninety-six points against one of the best teams in the country is no accident. That begs the question what type of game will this turn into?

If the contest becomes a fast-paced scoring contest, that likely plays into Farmington’s strengths. Yet if the Macs can control tempo, execute their motion offense, and force longer half-court possessions, the game shifts toward their style.

Own the Glass, Especially Against Jason Reynolds:

This starts with Jason Reynolds.

If Maine–Farmington’s upset of Montclair told you anything, it’s that Reynolds can completely change a game without needing the ball every trip. Twenty-one rebounds is not random. That’s not just effort. That a testament to his IQ and Box-out awareness. Against a YU team coming off an emotional win over Bates, the quickest way for Farmington to make this game uncomfortable is by stealing possessions on the offensive glass.

So for the Macs, the first key is finish defensive possessions cleanly and physically.

That means Yoav Oselka has to be the anchor, but it also means Dothan Bardichev, Max Zakheim, and the guards have to gang rebound. Reynolds is not a guy you beat with one body. He has to see multiple jerseys. If YU forces a miss and then allows a tip-out, a putback, or a reset three, Farmington’s confidence grows immediately. And against a young team playing loose, that is dangerous.

The other reason this matters is that if YU controls the glass, it controls the game. Farmington becomes much less dangerous when it has to score against a set half-court defense instead of living off second chances and broken-floor offense. If Reynolds has, say, 12 rebounds but only 2 or 3 offensive boards, YU is probably in a good place. If he gets more than 6, now the Macs are playing uphill all night. Keep an eye on that as you watch.

Make McLaughlin Work for Everything :

The headline guy is Zach McLaughlin. He is their superstar, and the player most likely to have the ball when a possession gets sticky. He can hit tough threes, create off the dribble, and carry them for stretches. That means the Macs’ second key is defensive discipline, not just on him, but on what happens around him.

If YU sells out too hard, starts trapping recklessly, or sends extra help from bad places, that’s when Farmington’s balance becomes a problem. They have multiple double-digit scorers. They are not a one-man operation. So the challenge is to make McLaughlin inefficient without compromising the zone structure.

This is where Max Zakheim’s versatility and Zevi Samet’s improved on-ball defense will take affect. YU needs to make McLaughlin see bodies, force him to change direction, and get him into contested shots.

McLaughlin is also most comfortable creating offense going left. That’s where he gets into his rhythm step-backs, pull-ups, and downhill drives. When he turns the corner left, he can both score and see the floor better, which allows him to spray passes to shooters. So the Macs also must force the star to his right by sitting on his left.

YU can live with McLaughlin making hard shots. What it cannot afford is McLaughlin getting easy rhythm threes, getting downhill whenever he wants, and turning defensive overhelp into kick-out looks for everyone else. If his final line is big but inefficient, the Macs can survive that. If he scores 28 on clean rhythm looks while the rest of the team eats too, then it becomes a shootout and that is exactly the kind of game YU should want to avoid.

Turn It Into a Possession Game, Not a Celebration Game:

The Beavers are young, confident, and playing with the kind of freedom that comes from having already shocked a host team. If this game starts flying up and down, it becomes a track meet that plays right into their current vibe.

So YU’s third key is to make this game about execution, patience, and decision-making.

This is where the Macs’ motion offense has to be itself. Not rushed. Not just “give Zevi the ball and hope.” This needs to be a game where the offense breathes. Reverse it. Screen. Cut. Make Farmington guard the clock deep into the game.

Force their young lineup to communicate through multiple actions. And this also means valuing each possession late. Against Bates, YU survived chaos, especially when the Bobcats switched everything in their second-half comeback. Against Farmington, the smarter path is preventing chaos from becoming the entire game. If the Macs can keep the score in a more controlled range, make Farmington defend in the half-court, and repeatedly ask them to get the same stop two or three actions in a row, that’s where YU should have an edge.

The hidden part of this key is emotional management. Farmington is coming in loose and happy. YU has to be poised and sharp. No careless live-ball turnovers. No quick contested threes that ignite the other side. No letting one Reynolds putback or one McLaughlin heat check turn into a three-minute avalanche. If the Macs keep this game grounded in execution instead of adrenaline, they give themselves the best chance to advance to the sweet 16 for the second time in program history, and first 2020.

How To Watch:

Tip-off is at 9:00PM. You can watch the game here.