In a game that featured eight ties and 14 lead changes, 10th-ranked New York University edged the University of Rochester men's basketball team 81-76 on Friday night in a University Athletic Association matchup at the Louis Alexander Palestra.
A week after winning a close, 80-73 affair in New York City, the Violets completed the season sweep to remain in first place in the UAA conference standings at 6-2. NYU is 16-3 overall and has won two straight over the Yellowjackets for the first time since 2014.
Rochester dips below .500 on the year, moving to 9-10 overall and is now 3-5 in the UAA. UR's has been close in all eight UAA games, with the five conference losses coming by a combined 19 points.
Leading the Yellowjackets was Tomiwa Adetosoye who finished with 17 points and five rebounds. He hit two clutch 3-pointers in a second-half comeback along with Mitchell Kershner who added eight points and 8 rebounds.
Logan Jagodzinski scored 14 points and had five rebounds, while Matt Wiele chipped in 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Andrew Jackson led the 'Jacket bench, scoring 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field, while adding six rebounds.
NYU's Spencer Freedman led all players with a game-high 31 points, making 11-of-21 from the floor. He sank five 3-pointers and notched five rebounds. Zay Freeney added 15 points for the Violets while Michael Savarino scored 11. Emmanuel Onuama supplied nine points and eight boards.
Early in the second half, the Violets build a game-high 10-point lead following a driving layup inside from Freeney.
With NYU up 45-35, Rochester's Wiele drained a 3-pointer to kickstart an 11-3 burst to cut the deficit to just two over the next three minutes. Adetosoye made a pair of tough layups inside and Jagodzinski added a jumper and two free throws in the run which saw UR cut the score to 48-46.
The Violets clung to the lead until C.J. Amsellem hit a big 3-pointer and Jackson hit a long 2-pointer in the corner to move the 'Jackets in front 53-52 with 13 minutes left.
Over the next several possessions, both teams made clutch shots, with the lead changing hands multiple times.
After NYU's Hayden Peek sank a layup to go up two, Kershner hit a triple to start an 8-0 rush for Rochester, leading to UR's biggest lead of the game. Adetosoye followed with a 3-pointer and Wiele added a layup with 5:38 on the clock to see the scoreboard move to 68-62 in favor of the Yellowjackets.
The Violets answered right back, holding UR off the scoreboard for the next two minutes, scoring nine straight points to regain a 3-point lead.
Kershner regained the momentum for UR, securing a big offensive rebound before spotting up in the corner for his second triple of the night, knotting the score at 71-all.
NYU's Savarino moved the Violets back in front on the next possession, but Adetosoye was left wide open and swished another three, to edge Rochester back in front 74-73 with 2:27 remaining.
After an NYU turnover, UR had a chance to extend the lead, but Wiele's layup fell off the rim into Freeney's hands for the rebound.
At the other end, Freedman found just enough space on his pull-up 3-pointer and drained it, moving NYU in front 76-74 with 95 ticks left.
A foul sent Jagodzinski to the line for two free throws, and after he sank both, the score again was tied up.
Freedman came up clutch again for the Violets through, hitting a turnaround shot at the elbow for another NYU lead.
UR turned the ball over on its next chance and fouled NYU's Cinque Stephens on the next Violets possession with just 36 seconds remaining. Stephens made 1-for-2 at the line, keeping it a one possession game,
After a timeout, Rochester's Malachi Moore attempted a tough, contested layup in the lane that fell off, with Onuama gobbling up the rebound for the Violets.
A foul on Freedman with 10 seconds left sent the graduate student to the line, where he made both, sealing the key road conference win.
During the opening half, the Violets jumped out to an early 13-5 lead before Amsellem, Moore and Jackson rattled off an 8-1 run to pull the Yellowjackets back within one.
Another 8-2 run, aided by baskets from Jackson, Corvin Oprea and a 3-pointer from Ethan McEachern put the Yellowjackets in front 21-18 with 6:45 left in the first half.
Over the next four minutes, Freedman went off for the Violets, scoring 14 points in a 16-7 NYU surge that allowed the visitors to regain the lead.
UR sank several free throws in the final minute and a half, heading into the locker room down six, at 41-35.
Rochester is back in action on Sunday afternoon with Brandeis completing the turn-around weekend in the UAA. Tip-off is set for noon.