New York University's men's basketball team dropped a nailbiting, 65-62, second round NCAA Tournament matchup against Tufts University on Saturday night at the John A. Paulson Center in Manhattan.

The Violets concluded the 2023-24 season with a 21-6 record and 10-4 mark in the University Athletic Association (UAA), winning their first league title in 30 years. Head Coach Dave Klatsky, junior guard Zay Freeney, and graduate student guards Spencer Freedman and Michael Savarino reflected on their fantastic season in the postgame press conference:



Freeney scored a game-high 20 points while Freedman added 19 of his own, combing for 49 of NYU's 62 points. It was an even game with each team committing 12 turnovers and both shooting above 40 percent from the field and distance and less than 60 percent at the line.

NYU scored the first points of the game, maintaining a narrow lead until falling behind for the first time at the 9:16 mark of the opening period (17-16). Back-and-forth play followed, but Tufts created a bit of separation with a five-point advantage at the break (40-35).

The Jumbos' momentum carried into the early stages of the second half as they took an 11-point lead (49-38), their largest of the game, with 14:56 remaining.

From there, NYU trailed by more than five points until the 5:40 mark when Freedman's layup brought the Violets within three, 58-55. Tufts scored on its next possession, but six straight NYU points, capped off by a Freedman triple, put the Violets back on top (61-60) with 3:25 to play.

Khai Champion's trey with 3:05 on the clock were Tufts' last points of the night to put them back ahead, as the two teams combined for one point over the final three minutes and the Jumbos pulled out the closely contested victory.