On the third day of Chanukah, the Yeshiva University basketball team’s offense threw a party. A strong second half secured a wire to wire 82-58 win over Mount Saint Mary on Sunday in upstate New York, completing the season series sweep.
How it Happened:
-The Macs started strong, taking a quick lead. A Zevi Samet turnover led to a Max Zakheim three-pointer for the game’s first points. It gave Yeshivah an upper hand they wouldn’t relinquish.
-The teams entered a rockfight with no buckets on either side for the next four minutes. An Effy Freundlich layup snapped the dry spell, giving YU a 10-5 advantage.
- A Samet streak and layup put the Macs in the lead 12-5. The teams traded baskets, with a Samet three-pointer giving the Macs a 33-23 advantage.
- Mount Saint Mary looked to close the half strong, but a Dothan Bardichev buzzer-beater gave the Macs a 40-31 lead at intermission.
- The potential was there for Yeshiva to run away with the contest, and they did. Three straight Bardichev threes gave the Macs a 48-37 lead 2:48 into the second half, forcing a Mount Saint Mary timeout.
- With the Knights trying to eliminate Samet, Bardichev continued to cook. He hit a layup, then found a cutting Freundlich for a bucket to make it a 60-48 game with 9:51 remaining. Minutes later, he drew the defense and found Samet for a three, ballooning the YU lead to 71-51, essentially putting the contest to bed.
The Macs overpowered the Knights, completing the season series sweep of their conference rivals. (Photo Credit: MacsLive/Akiva Poppers)
Transition Triumph:
The key to the Macs' big second half was executing in transition. They outpaced the Knights 17-4 in fast break points in the latter 20 minutes. They also pounced on the Knights' mistakes, outscoring them 19-10 in points off turnovers.
No second chances:
Yeshiva doubled up the Knights 14-7 on the defensive glass and 21-13 overall. They forced Mount Saint Mary into one-and-done possessions. They spent more time on the attack and were able to extend their advantage.
Catching fire:
Against Amherst, the Macs could not efficiently get to the basket and do damage consistently. That was the case in the first half, as Yeshiva shot 15-40. In the final half, however, they were able to flip the switch, draining 16 of their 31 tries. Mount Saint Mary shot 20-55, never getting their mid-range game going.
For Yeshiva:
- Zevi Samet, despite receiving most of the attention from the Knights' defense, scored 13 points. He also chipped in with five rebounds and four steals in 35 minutes.
- Dothan Bardichev had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.
- Max Zakheim led Yeshiva in scoring with 19 points and finished second on the team with nine rebounds.
- Or Sundjvsky had a double-double, as he scored 11 points and pulled down 15 rebounds.
For Mount Saint Mary:
- Connor Cyran led the Knights with 14 points. Jayden Racca and Ryan Graham added nine points apiece.
- The Knights had their chances with ten steals but couldn’t convert on their opportunities.
Up Next:
The Macs host conference rival St Joseph University Brooklyn on Tuesday, December 12th. Tip-off is slated for 8 PM.