Wrong Side of A Classic: Yeshiva Loses Heartbreaker to Titans
- Marvin Azrak
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Yeshiva fell 72–71 to the Illinois Wesleyan Titans on Monday night, and it’s one the Macs are going to think about for a long time. Four seconds left. Tie game at 70, as the Titans bring the ball up with 5 seconds remaining. Zevi Samet jumped the pass clean, took off the other way, and for a split second, you thought it was over. Instead? Whistle. Kickball. Somehow. Fine. Still alive.
Then, Or Sundjyvsky picked off another pass. He attacked the rim, got fouled, and let out some emotion — because how could you not in that moment? Yet, a technical foul with 1.6 seconds left allowed Illinois Wesleyan to eventually hit both technical free throws, giving them a 72-70 lead. At the other end, Sundjyvsky stepped to the line with a chance to send it to overtime. First one? Money. Second? Rimmed out. Ballgame. Another gut punch. Another one-possession loss. That’s four heartbreakers now. The Macs now drop to 3-7
The Macs shot well in this one, and fought back from multiple deficits, and went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in Division III. They didn’t get the ending they deserved. It was another night where the Macs showed they belong. Another night where the margin between belief and heartbreak was razor-thin. And another reminder that this team is closer than its record says — even if the basketball gods keep refusing to reward it.
How it Happened:
- The game opened exactly how you’d expect from two disciplined teams. Both defenses were locked in early, holding each other scoreless for the first two minutes before the Illinois Wesleyan Titans struck first. The Titans followed that basket with a 9–0 run, jumping out to an early 11–2 lead and forcing Yeshiva to play catch-up.
- The Macs answered with poise. Back-to-back threes from Yair Dovrat cut the deficit quickly, and Yeshiva eventually tied the game at 18. Or Sundjyvsky buried a late first-half jumper to give Yeshiva its first lead at 21–18, but Illinois Wesleyan responded, sending the teams into halftime separated by just three points, 30–27.
- Illinois Wesleyan came out firing in the second half, breaking free from Yeshiva’s defensive pressure and stretching the lead into double digits at 39–29. The margin hovered around 10 for much of the period, with the Macs trailing 54–45 midway through the half.
- Yeshiva refused to go away. A tough Sundjyvsky layup sparked a rally, and the Macs slowly chipped away, tying the game twice at 59 and 62. Zevi Samet knocked down a stepback three to give YU a 65–62 lead, forcing an Illinois Wesleyan timeout and igniting the crowd.
-From there, it was back-and-forth chaos. Neither team could hold the lead for more than a minute. Buckets, stops, and free throws traded places until the score sat knotted at 70–70 with 26 seconds remaining.
- The final sequence was pure madness. With four seconds left, Samet jumped an errant pass and raced downcourt, only for the play to be whistled dead for a kickball. On the ensuing inbound, Sundjyvsky stole it, attacked the rim, and was fouled — but a technical foul was assessed on the play, sending Illinois Wesleyan to the line first. The Titans converted both free throws. Sundjyvsky made the first of his two attempts, but the second rimmed out, sealing a 72–71 Illinois Wesleyan win.
Yeshiva is closer than its record says:
At 3–7, it would be easy to dismiss this team. That would be a mistake. Yeshiva went toe-to-toe with one of the most consistently ranked teams in Division III, erased a double-digit second-half deficit, and had multiple chances to win in the final seconds. The execution, toughness, and shot-making are there. What’s missing isn’t belief or ability — it’s getting over the last possession.
Special moments decide tight games — and they’re brutal:
This game turned on a handful of seconds. A kick-ball whistle. A technical foul. Two free throws. In a one-point game, those moments become everything. That’s not an excuse — it’s the reality of close basketball. Yeshiva was good enough to win this game, but at this level, one call or one bounce can erase forty minutes of work.
The stars showed up when it mattered:
For all the chaos, the best players still delivered. Zevi Samet and Or Sundjyvsky each dropped 22, making big shots and big plays late. Yoav Oselka controlled the paint and battled on the glass.
YU Stats Leaders:
Zevi Samet and Or Sundjyvsky led the way for the Macs with 22 points. Sundjyvsky also contributed six rebounds and two steals to go along with his perfect 4/4 from three.
Yoav Oselka had ten points, nine rebounds, and three assists, all while dealing with IWU’s Noah Cleveland down low.
Yair Dovrat connected three times from deep, and Dothan Bardichev led the team with five assists.
IWU Stats Leaders:
Mason Funk led the scoring for IWU, dropping twenty points as well as seven rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.
Noah Cleveland dominated the boards with sixteen, including four offensive. Cleveland also had twelve points and three assists.
Karlo Colak also contributed eleven points, five rebounds, and a team-high five assists.
Up Next:
The Macs’ next game is Sunday, January 4, against Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx. Tip-off is scheduled for 3pm.