NEW YORK, N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In a matchup of the only two teams in the Atlantic Region to receive votes in the preseason Top 25 poll, Yeshiva University shot 57.6 percent from the field (34-59) and despite five Gothic Knights scoring in double figures, the Maccabees held off the New Jersey City University men's basketball team, 97-92, in a non-conference matchup on December 17 at the Max Stern Athletic Center. It was the first meeting between the schools in 27 years and the first win for Yeshiva over NJCU since the final game of the 1938-39 season—80 years ago.
Yeshiva won its 11th consecutive game, improving to 11-1 on the season. NJCU falls to 4-6 overall for the first time since the 2014-15 season. The game saw 11 lead changes and nine ties.
NJCU lost despite a great bounce-back game for two-time NJAC Player of the Year and two-time All-American senior power forward Sam Toney, who scored his 1,500th career point in the game and surged into seventh place in school history with 1,518 points. Toney scored 23 points (9-18 FG), including 4-of-10 from three-point range, and added eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Each team put five players in double figures with Yeshiva seeing three hit the 20-point plateau. Yeshiva standout and senior forward Gabriel Leifer (Lawrence, N.Y.), posted a near triple-double. He scored 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting (7-9 FT), 12 rebounds, eight assists and six blocks. Senior guard Simcha Halpert (Los Angeles, Calif.) poured in 22 points (7-16 FG) while freshman guard Ofek Reef (Plano, Texas) produced 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting (2-2 3FG) coming off the bench.
In defeat, NJCU finally got senior small forward Jaimik Moore back on the floor. He had not played since being injured on November 23 at Farmingdale State, and after missing six games, scored 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting with six rebounds.
Junior shooting guard Denzel Banks scored 17 points (8-14 FG) with six boards before fouling out. Senior center Quadri Moore added 12 points and six rebounds while freshman center Michael Clement scored a career-high 10 points (3-4 FG).
YU also received 14 points (5-11 FG) from 14 points from 6-foot-7 sophomore guard Ryan Turrell and 10 points (4-4 FG) from senior forward Daniel Katz (Baltimore, Md.).
NJCU led 30-21 with 6:16 left in the first half after a triple from Toney, before Yeshiva tied it at 34-34 with back-to-back threes with under four minutes remaining. Yeshiva led by one at the half, 41-40, shooting 55.6 percent in the first half (15-27), including 5-of-12 three-point shooting.
Yeshiva led the entire second half, eventually using an 8-0 run to turn a two-point game (69-67, 8:29) into a 10-point margin when Reef scored on a fastbreak with 7:20 to go, pushing the lead to 77-67 after converting a three-point play. A three-point play by Katz with 4:14 to go elevated the margin to 12, 84-72.
Toney hit a pair of three pointers down the stretch, the second with 59 seconds remaining, to cut the deficit to three (90-87) before the Maccabees sealed the win at the line.
NOTABLES:
- Series: 13th meeting. NJCU leads all-time series, 11-2. Yeshiva snapped NJCU's nine-game winning streak in the series. First meeting between the schools since March 6, 1993—a 76-62 win for NJCU in the ECAC Quarterfinals. The schools first met in the 1935-36 season. Yeshiva last defeated NJCU during the 1938-39 season, 28-21, when the Knights were known as Jersey City State Teachers College.
- Toney entered the game with 1,495 points and became the ninth Gothic Knight to reach the 1,500 point plateau when he hit a jumper with 12:55 to go in the first half that tied the game at 13-13. He later passed Samar Battle (1,507 points, 2000-04) for eighth place in school history and Andy Kemp (1,513 points, 1976-80) for seventh place. Next up: Eric Moore with 1,587 points (1976-80).
- Toney scored at least 20 points in a game for the 32nd time in his career and fourth time this season. Toney scored in double figures for the 74th time in 94 career games.
- Banks scored in double figures for the 22nd time in 38 career games.
- In the second half, NJCU shot 53.7 percent (22-41) but Yeshiva shot 59.4 percent in the second half (19-32).
- NJCU committed only nine turnovers in the loss..
UP NEXT:
- NJCU plays in the Pacific Time zone for the first time since March, 1980 when it heads to Las Vegas, Nevada to participate in the prestigious 10th annual D3hoops.com classic—perhaps the top regular season tournament in NCAA Division III. NJCU plays Central (Iowa) on December 28 and meets Wisconsin-River Falls on December 29. All games can be followed live on D3hoops.com.
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