NEW YORK, NY- The top-ranked University of Rochester men's basketball team suffered its first loss of the season to a scrappy NYU squad, losing 65-51 at NYU's Coles Sports Center on Friday night.
The Violets (13-6, 3-5 UAA) stopped a four game losing skid and achieved one of the biggest wins in the history of the program.
Number one Rochester (18-1, 7-1 UAA) shot just 13-37 from the floor (35.1%) and only made six 3-pointers on the night, primarily due to some tough Violet defense. All-American John DiBartolomeo was held to just one field goal on the night and finished with just 12 points. The 51 points and 13 field goals were season lows for the Yellowjackets who had not been held below 63 points prior to Friday.
NYU was led by Ryan Tana who poured in 18 points on 7-9 FG and four 3-pointers. Tana was also key on the defensive end, matching up with DiBartolomeo most of the night. Kyle Stockmal also had 17 points for NYU including going a perfect 4-4 from behind the arc. Stockmal and Tana made all eight of NYU's treys on the night.
The Yellowjackets got off to a quick 6-0 start, but NYU rattled off a 19-3 run after that to grab a lead it would never relinquish. In the first half, UR would make just one 3-pointer and commit nine turnovers to give the home Violets a 28-19 at the break.
Rob Reid had eight points (3-3 FG) for UR in the half while Stockmal paced the Violets with 11 points.
Tana hit a big three with 11:20 remaining in the game to push NYU's lead to a game high 16 at 47-31. Rochester didn't go away easily though, running off a 12-2 run to cut the lead to six. Kevin Sheehy had eight points in the stretch while DiBartolomeo had four free throws.
Another big Trey from Tana silenced the run eventually led to NYU holding a 10-point advantage with just 4:46 to play. The Violets hit some free throws down the stretch to once again make the lead 16 before ending the game with a 14-point win over the number one team in Division III.
DiBartolomeo was UR's leading scorer with 12 while Nate Vernon had 11 points (3-3 3-pointers) and four rebounds while Reid did not score in the second half and finished with eight points.
Behind Tana and Stockmal, Carl Yaffe chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds for NYU. The Violets held a big advantage on the inside, outscoring the Yellowjackets 30-14 in the paint. NYU also dished out 19 assists to UR's eight, one off their season low.
NYU rebounded from last weeks loss to the Yellowjackets in the Palestra. In that one, UR won by 15, 65-50. Last season, the teams split home-and-home games with NYU winning at the Coles Center and UR taking the win in the Palestra. Rochester leads the all-time series 33-29.
Up next for the Yellowjackets is a tough game at #25 Brandeis while NYU hosts Emory on Sunday afternoon. Brandeis will be looking to tie UR for first place in the conference standings after the Judges handled Emory Friday night.