Carl Yaffe poured in 27 points and head coach Joe Nesci tied the school record for career victories as the New York University men's basketball team defeated the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 78-55 on Tuesday, December 13, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.
 
Nesci earned career victory #409 with the Violets' (6-0) win over the Trailblazers (2-8), tying him with NYU Athletics Hall of Famer Howard Cann in the school's annals.
 
"It certainly means I've been here a long time," joked Nesci, who is in his 24th season as the Violets' head coach and boasts a career mark of 409-196 (.676). "But I'm really proud of having had the privilege to work so many great young men for a lot of years. That's what I'll look back on."
 
Yaffe led the Violets to the win on the offensive and defensive ends. He needed just 11 shots to net his 27 points, going 9-11 from the floor and 7-8 from the line to finish one point off his career high. Yaffe added a game-best 10 rebounds and a career-high six blocks while recording his seventh career double-double.
 
"I thought his overall play was tremendous," commented Nesci on Yaffe. "The only thing he didn't have tonight was a lot of assists, which he normally does. He was really great on the defensive end, too, not only with the blocks but with his all-around play."
 
Yaffe scored nine of NYU's first 11 points to help the squad build an early 11-5 lead. The advantage was down to three at 22-19 before a 12-0 Violet run in the final minutes of the first half made it 32-19.
 
NYU entered halftime leading 39-23 and stayed hot from there, scoring the first six points of the period to go up 22. The lead stayed in the 20s for most of a second half in which both Andy Stein and Devin Karch threw down big dunks for the Violets.
 
While the Violet offense was clicking on all cylinders, finishing the game shooting exactly 50% (28-56) from the floor with 22 assists on its 28 baskets, the defense was also key. NYU made a season-high-tying 11 steals and forced a season-high-tying 23 turnovers.
 
Andy Stein was the team's second-highest scorer, netting 14 points (10 in the second half) on 6-10 shooting. Kyle Stockmal also scored in double figures with 10 points and added a game-high four assists. Karch pitched in with nine points and five boards off the bench.
 
Tyriq Rochester and Ramon Viches paced MCLA with nine points each. Michael Young added seven points.
 
The Violets take a two-and-a-half-week break for finals before returning to action on Friday, Dec. 30, for a home contest against Hamilton College. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm.