NEW YORK, NY - Taking the court in the Max Stern Athletic Center for the first time in the 2023-24 season, the Yeshiva men's basketball team took down Mount Saint Mary College, defeating the Knights by a score of 79-74 on Wednesday, Nov. 15.
 
Offensively, the Maccabees saw production from up and down the depth chart, with Max Zakheim (25), Zevi Samet (20), Or Sundjyvsky (16), and Roy Itcovichi (12) all putting up double digit points. Itcovichi also had an excellent night distributing the ball, ending the game with a season high six assists.
 
Proving weapons on both sides of the ball, Zakheim and Sundjyvsky also had monster nights on defense, with Zakheim putting up a stat line of nine rebounds, five steals and a block while Sundyvsky pulled down four boards, swiped three steals and thundered in three blocks of his own.
 
With the win, the Macs are now 3-1, 1-0 in conference play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Starting slow, the Macs saw the Knights jump out to an early 5-0 lead, with Yeshiva not sinking their first basket until nearly four minutes of clock had elapsed in the first half. While YU finally saw some offensive success thanks to six straight points from Zakheim, the Macs could not erase their initial deficit. Even as a scrappy Maccabee squad got the score within one on multiple occasions, Mount Saint Mary were always able to keep them at arm's length, with Yeshiva closing out the half trailing 38-29.
   
• Not disheartened by their offensive woes though the first 20 minutes of play, the Macs completely turned things around in the second half, opening the period with a 15-6 run that tied the game at 44-all with 13:14 left in regulation.
   
• Just 30 seconds later, Zakheim made the most of an MSM turnover, sprinting down the court and connecting on a fast break layup, giving YU their first lead of the game at 46-44. This lead change proved the first and last of the game, with the Macs never again trailing.
   
• Working to protect their advantage from a hungry Knight attack, the Maccabees saw buckets from Zakheim, Sundjyvsky and Itcovichi over the final 12 minutes of play. While Mount Saint Mary managed to come within inches of a comeback, closing Yeshiva's margin to three on two separate occasions with just seconds left, four ice-in-his-veins free throws from Zakheim closed out the game, 79-74.
   
• Much of YU's second half turnaround can be credited to Sundjyvsky's perseverance. In the first half, the New Jersey native shot 0-8 eight, including 0-4 from three and turned the ball over three times. However, not allowing his cold streak to get to him, the junior turned things around in the second half, putting up 16 points while shooting 4-9, a mark that included two monster triples.

 
MAC LEADERS
Points: Zakheim (25), Samet (20), Sundjyvsky (16), Itcovichi (12)
Assists: Itcovichi (6), Zakheim (4), Samet (2)
Rebounds: Zakheim (9), Bardichev (8), Samet (7)
Steals: Zakheim (5), Sundjyvsky (3), Itcovichi (2)
Blocks: Sundjyvsky (3), Zakheim (1), Bardichev (1), Landau (1)
 
UP NEXT
Facing off against their first nationally ranked opponent of the season, the Macs will host #9 New York University on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 8:30 PM