Four Violets scored in double figures and the New York University men's basketball shot better than 56% from the field in a 91-67 win over SUNY Old Westbury on Sunday, November 27, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.
 
Carl Yaffe led all scorers with 21 points, while Kyle Stockmal (13 points), Andy Stein (11 points) and Zeve Sanderson (career-high 10 points) also hit double digits for NYU (3-0).
 
As a team, the Violets shot a scorching 56.9% (33-58) from the field, assisted on 27 of their 33 baskets and sank 12 three-pointers.
 
"I thought our shooting was good and our shot selection was very good," said NYU head coach Joe Nesci, who earned his 406th career victory on the sidelines. "The guys are doing a good job of sharing the ball."
 
Old Westbury (1-2) held the advantage in the early going before the Violets took over. Trailing 11-10, NYU scored 10 straight points, which included back-to-back three-pointers by Cory Stockmal, to storm ahead.
 
The Violets' run eventually became 15-2, putting them up 25-13 following a Max Wein baseline drive and finish.
 
The Panthers cut the deficit to eight, 27-19, before NYU drilled three-pointers on three consecutive possessions, including a pair by Sanderson.
 
Ryan Tana hit the Violets' eighth and final three-pointer of the half with 1:19 left to put the lead at 17, and Stein converted an old-fashioned three-point play with 3.3 ticks on the clock to send NYU into the half leading 43-25.
 
While the Violets shot 53.3% from both the floor (16-30) and from beyond the arc (8-15) in the period, the squad held Old Westbury to 29.7% shooting (11-37) and just three triples on 16 attempts (18.8%).
 
"I thought defense was a big key for us getting out to a lead," commented Nesci. "This is a team that came in averaging over 80 points per game, and we held them to 25 in the first half."
 
NYU stayed hot to open the second half, outscoring the Panthers 27-9 in the first seven minutes to build a 34-point lead (70-36). Old Westbury got no closer than 23 the rest of the way.
 
Stein added 10 rebounds to his 11 points to record his second career double-double. Yaffe narrowly missed a double-double of his own, corralling nine boards and adding three blocks.
 
Tana doled out five assists without a turnover, while Kyle Stockmal, Wein and Stein each had four helpers. Cory Stockmal and Ben Dorman scored eight points apiece off the bench.
 
The Panthers also had four scorers in double figures: Kerel Mitchell (13 points), Rashawn McCarthy (13 points), Tavon McNair (12 points), and Matthew Duffy (10 points). Curtis Leslie pulled down a team-best eight rebounds.
 
The Violets return to action on Monday, December 5, when they host Brooklyn College at Coles. Tip-off is at 7:00 pm.