Box Score
Andy Stein recorded a double-double to lead the 16th-ranked New York University men's basketball team past SUNY New Paltz 73-61 in the Violets' final non-conference game of the regular season on Tuesday, February 7, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.
Stein scored a team-high 20 points and pulled down a career-best 17 rebounds to lead NYU (18-2) to the victory. With the win, the Violets are 18-2 for the first time since 1992-93. That squad finished the regular season with a 22-2 record and went on to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament. Overall, only five Violet teams have started 18-2 or better; the other three were the 1945-46, 1947-48 and 1985-86 squads.
NYU earned its 18th win of this season by shooting 49.1 % (28-57) from the field and turning the ball over just nine times. The Violets also outrebounded the Hawks (8-13) 40-20 – their highest rebounding margin of the season – while pulling down nearly as many offensive boards (14) as New Paltz's entire rebound total.
“They had a good game plan – they took us out of our rhythm early,” said NYU head coach
Joe Nesci. “Our defense was strong and we were able to open up the lead at the end.”
The Hawks built a 20-19 lead midway through the first half behind Harris Wichard, who scored 14 of those points. But the Violets then went on an 8-0 run to regain control and eventually took a 33-27 lead into the locker room. Stein scored eight of his 10 first-half points in the final nine minutes of the period to help the squad pull ahead.
Two quick threes by New Paltz's Wichard and Matt Devine brought the Hawks to within one just a minute into the second half, but the Violets scored eight of the next 10 points – a spurt capped by a
Max Wein tip-in – to go up 42-35.
NYU then began to create separation, scoring point after point in the paint. Wein's layup with 10:30 to play made it 52-40, and the Violets' lead eventually swelled to as high as 21 before New Paltz hit several late threes to trim the final margin. For the game, the Violets outscored the Hawks 38-16 in the paint and owned an 18-2 edge in second-chance points.
Kyle Stockmal (19 points) and Wein (10 points) joined Stein in double figures, with Stockmal adding six assists and Wein making three steals.
Carl Yaffe totaled nine points.
Devine led all scorers with 23 points, while Wichard finished with 17 for the Hawks.
NYU returns to the court on Friday, Feb. 10, for a huge University Athletic Association (UAA) showdown between two nationally ranked teams. The #16 Violets travel to Atlanta to take on #23 Emory University at 8:00 pm.
