Box Score
Despite a tremendous first-half rally, the #25 New York University men's basketball team lost another close University Athletic Association (UAA) contest, falling 76-70 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, on Sunday afternoon, January 16.
The loss continued a trend of extremely close battles between the Violets (11-3, 0-3) and Tartans (5-8, 2-1) at Skibo Gymnasium. Including this game, the last six meetings between the teams in Pittsburgh have been decided by an average of 4.2 points.
But unlike last season, when NYU pulled out a one-point road win, this time Carnegie Mellon held on for the victory – its second straight over a ranked UAA foe after defeating #13 Brandeis University by one on Friday. John Duhring and Shane Rife played heroes for the Tartans, coming up with big buckets nearly every time the Violets pulled close in the final minutes.
Carl Yaffe's tip-in on a missed layup pulled NYU to within two, 69-67, with 2:26 to play. But Rife responded with a jumper to again make it a two-possession game, and after Andy Stein went 1-of-2 at the free-throw line – missing for the first time after hitting his first nine attempts at the line – Duhring drained a long jumper to make it 73-68 Carnegie Mellon.
The Violets missed on each of their next two possessions, but the Tartans kept them in it by going 0-for-3 at the line. Trying to make it a one-possession game, D.J. Glavan drove and missed off the glass, but Yaffe again tipped in the rebound to pull NYU to within three, 73-70, with 27.3 seconds left.
After that, however, Carnegie Mellon regained its touch at the charity stripe, going 3-for-4 the rest of the way to hang on for the win.
In the first half, the Violets trailed by as many as 16, 29-13, before Stein took over to lead them back. Receiving feed after feed in the post, the junior scored 13 points in the final seven minutes of the half, capping an 18-4 run to end the period with a three-pointer from the top of the arc.
But the Tartans pulled ahead early in the second. NYU got as close as 61-60 with 6:05 to play before Durhing and Rife led Carnegie Mellon to victory and a 2-1 mark in the UAA. The Violets are 0-3 in the ultracompetitive Association, with the three losses coming by an average margin of four points.
Stein finished with 20 points while going 9-for-10 from the free-throw line. Kyle Stockmal added a season-high-tying 16 points, including NYU's first eight of the game. Yaffe totaled 13 points and eight rebounds, while Max Wein had three blocks on the defensive end.
Rife led all scorers with 25 points to go along with three blocks. Duhring finished with 15 points, while Sean Brophy had nine points, six rebounds and a game-best five steals.
The Violets are back in action on Friday night when they host two-time defending UAA Champion Washington University at Coles Sports Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm.
