Yeshiva Defeats Mount Saint Mary to Extend Win Streak to Three

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NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Yeshiva University men's basketball team earned a key Skyline Conference win over Mount Saint Mary, 82-66, at the Max Stern Athletic Center on Tuesday evening. The Maccabees have now won three games in a row and move into fifth place in the Skyline standings at 7-6 in the conference (9-9 overall), just a half game behind Mt. St. Mary (8-6 Skyline, 8-11 overall). 

The Maccabees shot 29-for-54 from the field (53.7 percent), while going 11-for-25 from 3-point range (44 percent). Yeshiva had the edge in rebounds over the opposition, 33-29.

Leading the way for Yeshiva was sophomore forward Gabriel Leifer, who had a game-high 23 points, while grabbing seven rebounds, and distributing three assists. Classmate Bar Alluf tallied 19 points with five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Sophomore guard Simcha Halpert produced a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Los Angeles resident also dished out four assists and had two steals.

In the early stages of the opening half, sophomore forward Daniel Katz and Halpert combined for back-to-back 3-point field goals to give Yeshiva a 15-12 advantage. That sparked a 10-0 run for the Macs that was capped off by junior forward Tal Gweta laying the ball up an in, with 11:11 remaining in the period.

Later in the half, Alluf forced a steal and dunked it home off a fast break to extend Yeshiva's lead to 34-19. The Knights would slowly get back into the game. After pulling to within 12, Gerard Nocera drew a flagrant one foul. He hit both free throws to narrow Mount Saint Mary's deficit. With the Knights still in possession of the ball, Andrew Holmes successfully converted a layup, while being fouled. He hit the free throw to complete the traditional three-point play, and narrow Yeshiva's advantage to seven, with 3:43 remaining.

With eight seconds to go, and Yeshiva only up by two, Katz drew a foul. He was able to hit a pair of free throws to put YU up, 38-34, and that would be the score at the intermission.

In the second half, the Knights managed to pull to within one, at 45-44. Yeshiva would counter by scoring six unanswered points, capped off by a 3-pointer from Halpert, to extend YU's lead to 50-44 with 15:23 remaining in regulation time.

Later in the period, the Knights pulled to within two. Yeshiva would answer with seven straight points, capped off by a shot from beyond the arc by Gweta, to put YU on top, 69-60, with 8:32 remaining. After Mount Saint Mary decreased the deficit to six, the Maccabees scored 10 unanswered points to take a commanding 80-64 advantage, with 1:55 remaining. That would put the game out of reach for the Knights, as YU went on to earn the impressive Skyline win, 82-66.

For the Maccabees, Gweta scored 14 points with two rebounds, just as many assists, and a pair of blocks. Katz and sophomore forward Kevin Bokor each scored seven points, with the former dishing out four assists and the latter pulling down seven caroms. Sophomore guard Tyler Hod dished out an assist, while freshman guard Yoav Deutsch and senior forward Eli Mamann each forced a steal.

For the Knights, Holmes scored 13 points. Nocera added 10 points with five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Daniel Wolff and Connor Bacci each produced nine points. Tyler McDine had a game-high five assists.

Yeshiva will be back in action on Thursday, for a Skyline Conference showdown against first place Mount Saint Vincent. Tip-off at the Peter Jay Sharp Center is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.