Spencer Freedman scored a game-high 29 points to lead New York University's men's basketball team to an 82-61 victory over Husson University in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament on Friday night at the John A. Paulson Center in Manhattan.

Freedman added seven assists, five boards and a steal to his scoring output while Emmanuel Onuama posted a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double along with three blocks.

Freedman and Onuama joined Head Coach Dave Klatsky in the postgame press conference:



It was a low-scoring affair in the early stages as NYU held a two-point lead (14-12) at the second media timeout (11:31). Seven unanswered points from the Violets followed, but Husson trimmed it back to four (24-20) with 8:20 left in the first half.

NYU produced a 12-2 run over the next five minutes to open up a 14-point lead, but the Eagles never went away and made it a 10-point game (41-31) at the break. Freedman and Onuama combined for 25 of the Violets' 41 first half points as the cogs of the offense.

Husson began the second half clicking, using an 18-6 run over the first 5:40 to take a 49-47 lead. NYU jumped back on top soon after and eventually went back up by double-digits (63-53) after Konrad Kiszka's triple with 7:44 on the clock.

Kiszka's trey was part of a 20-0 Violet run that put the game away and cemented NYU's place in the second round.

Zay Freeney totaled 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a steal as the third Violet in double figures.

NYU is right back at the Paulson Center tomorrow, March 2, to take on Tufts University in the second round at 6:45pm.