NEW YORK – The second-ranked Yeshiva University men's basketball team earned yet another victory on Tuesday evening, defeating College of Mount Saint Vincent by a score of 81-49, at the Max Stern Athletic Center. The Maccabees are now 5-0 to start the year and 2-0 in conference play. Yeshiva extends its unbeaten streak to 41 games dating back to 2019.

The Dolphins kept the game close in the first half, shooting 44.8% from the field and 50.0% from 3-point range during the first 20 minutes of the contest. However, YU made defensive adjustments in the second half and held Mount Saint Vincent to 23.0% shooting from the field and did not allow a 3-point field goal, in the final regulation period.

"I loved our second half energy and defense," Yeshiva University Head Coach Elliot Steinmetz said. "In a game where we didn't shoot the ball well, it was good to see our defense carry the day."

Leading the way for the Maccabees was senior Eitan Halpert, who led all players with 27 points, while grabbing six rebounds, and forcing four steals. The Los Angeles native shot 10-for-16 from the floor and 6-for-12 from beyond the arc. Classmate Ryan Turell had 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and just as many steals. Graduate student Gabriel Leifer brought down a game-best 12 rebounds, led all players with nine assists, scored five points, and forced four steals. The Lawrence native now has 1,023 career rebounds which moves him past Sheldon Rokach ('66) for third on the program's all-time rebounding list.

Yeshiva got off to a hot start, scoring the first nine points of the game. Later in the opening period, Halpert connected from downtown to give the Blue and White a 19-9 cushion. The Dolphins turned the tide and scored 10 unanswered points to tie the game up with 11:09 to go in the period. Halpert disrupted the opposition's surge by connecting from beyond the arc once again to allow the Maccabees to regain the lead.

After a pair of free throws from graduate student Jordan Armstrong padded YU's benefit to 27-21, Mount Saint Vincent scored the next six points to tie the game up, 27-27, with 5:55 remaining until the half.

Halpert once again broke the tie with a 3-pointer, and then Turell added a jumper, to give the Macs a five-point lead. Yeshiva could not shake off Mount Saint Vincent for the remainder of the stanza as YU held a narrow 36-35 edge in the closing seconds. Turell gave his team more breathing room by converting a putback layup at the buzzer to send the Maccabees into the break with a 38-35 advantage.

Halpert opened the scoring in the second half by converting another successful shot from deep. After the Dolphins pulled to within four, Yeshiva completely took the game over by going on a 12-2 run to take a commanding 53-39 hold with 14:45 to go. The hole would be too deep for Mount Saint Vincent to climb out of as Yeshiva pulled away for its second conference win of the season.

Junior Matan Zucker had a solid game for the Maccabees with nine points and six rebounds. Armstrong tallied seven points, four rebounds, and a pair of blocked shots. Sophomore Adi Markovich drained two 3-point field goals, and delivered two assists, while graduate student Ethan Lasko dished out five assists of his own to go along with a successful shot from downtown.

The nationally ranked No. 2 Maccabees will battle the Bears of St. Joseph's College Brooklyn, in another Skyline matchup, on Thursday evening. Tip-off at The Hill Center is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.