Box Score

The New York University men's basketball team brought its University Athletic Association (UAA) losing skid to an end with a 62-47 victory over the University of Chicago on Sunday, January 23, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.

 

The Violets (12-4, 1-4) snapped a three-game losing streak and earned their first UAA win behind stifling defense and strong offensive performances from several upperclassmen. NYU held Chicago (5-11, 2-3) to just 47 points on 30.5% shooting from the field and were also aided by the Maroons' poor free-throw shooting, as they converted on just 4 of their 13 attempts at the line (the Violets, meanwhile, went 14-for-18 from the charity stripe).

 

The 47 points were the fewest allowed by a Violet squad since a December defeat of the New York City College of Technology last season, and their fewest given up in UAA action since February 16, 2007, when they defeated Case Western Reserve University 65-47.

 

Offensively, Andy Stein led the way for the third straight game, producing 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting from the field to go along with nine rebounds. Chicago native D.J. Glavan added 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting as well as seven boards, and Ben Dorman tied a career high with 12 points off the bench.

 

“I think the guys were feeling some pressure after four straight close UAA losses,” said head coach Joe Nesci, whose Violets dropped their first UAA games by a combined 16 points. “We came out and played hard.”

 

Glavan came out especially hard, scoring nine points in the first nine minutes to help NYU build a 16-7 lead early. Dorman's first three-pointer kept the spread at nine, 21-12, before the Maroons went on an 8-0 run to pull to within one. Dorman stopped the run with another triple, and Stein hit four free-throw attempts to end the half and give the Violets a 28-22 edge heading into the break.

 

A Matt Johnson trey early in the second half pulled to Chicago to within four, 30-26, but after that Stein, Glavan and Dorman again took over, scoring all of NYU's points during a 12-1 run that made it 42-27 with 11:33 to play. Glavan added a tremendous reverse layup several minutes later and Stein threw down a big dunk in the closing minutes as NYU shot a scorching 54.2% in the second half to let Chicago get no closer than 11 after the run.

“Once we got into a rhythm, we started playing better,” commented Nesci on the second-half offensive performance, which came after the Violets were held to 37.0% shooting in the first period. “We took what the defense gave us.”

 

Derrick Davis led Chicago with 17 points and six rebounds off the bench. Tommy Sotos added seven points.

 

NYU returns to action on Friday for a Tear It Up! home contest against the University of Rochester, which is tied for first place in the UAA with a 4-1 mark. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 pm.