NEW YORK, NY - Competing in the Skyline Conference Semifinals, the Yeshiva Men's Basketball Team took down Purchase College, outlasting the Panthers by a score of 86-71 on Friday, Feb. 27th. With the win, the Maccabees have secured a spot in the Conference Championship Game, their third berth in as many years.
 
Offensively, the Macs saw six different players score in double digits. Both Zevi Samet (20), and Yoav Oselka (18) eclipsed the 15 point mark, while Max Zakheim (14), Dothan Bardichev (12), Yair Dovrat (11), and Roy Itcovichi (11) also proved crucial to the relentless Yeshiva attack.
 
On top of his scoring prowess, Zakheim also cemented his dominance in the paint, completing a double-double with 11 rebounds, while also tallying two blocks.
 
With the result, the Macs' record improves 19-8, with the men in blue and white just one win away from a conference crown.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first half proved a back-and-forth affair. The two squads were tied at 7-all through the first five minutes, but thanks to scoring from nearly their entire starting lineup, the Maccabees were able to secure some breathing room, leading 15-9 with 11:45 remaining.
   
• However, despite posting a stout defense, YU's edge would not hold. Purchase took the advantage for themselves at 20-19, with the Panthers ultimately leading by as many as eight points at 30-22 with just over five minutes left in the period. Undeterred, Yeshiva managed to erase that margin, leaning on buckets from Zakheim, Bardichev, and Itcovichi to level the field at 31-all. A last-second layup gave Purchase a two-point lead, sending YU into the break nipping at their foes' heels at 33-31.
   
• In spite of their halftime deficit, the Macs came into the second half with a single-minded determination to squash their conference rival, a goal they resolutely accomplished. Behind the sharpshooting of both Zakheim and Samet, the Maccabees quickly retook the lead, needing just five minutes of play to push it out to double digits at 51-41.
   
• Yeshiva's advantage continued to grow and grow through the next 15 minutes, reaching a zenith of 17 points at 86-69. The Panthers fought hard, testing the Macs and managing to pull within seven, but the effort simply wasn't enough to usurp the #1 seed's stranglehold on the game. In front of a raucous home crowd, YU punched their ticket to the Skyline Finals, downing Purchase, 86-71.

 
MAC LEADERS

• Points: Samet (20), Oselka (18), Zakheim (14)
• Assists: Dovrat (8), Zakheim (4), Itcovichi (4)
• Rebounds: Zakheim (11), Oselka (9), Samet (9)
• Steals: Samet (1), Bardichev (1)
• Blocks: Zakheim (2), Dovrat (1)

 
UP NEXT
Having advanced to the Skyline Conference Finals as the #1 seed, the Maccabees are guaranteed to host the game. They are set to welcome the winner of the second semifinal to the MSAC, taking on either #2 Farmingdale State College of #3 Sarah Lawrence College.