In the last seconds of yesterday’s game against conference foe Carnegie Mellon University, the NYU men’s basketball team failed to secure a victory, losing by one point.  This was the Violets’ third straight loss on the road in the last week.

The heated game included 11 ties as the Violets and Tartans competed for the lead. In the final plays of the match, co-captain and current senior Kyle Stockmal scored two free throws, bringing the score to 55-56 with 26 seconds left in the game. NYU then gained possession of the ball when Tartan junior Asad Meghani missed the basket, but was unable to take a final shot when Meghani’s teammate senior Sean Brophy stole the ball with 22 seconds left. Carnegie Mellon is now 5-17, having earned its second University Athletic Association victory.

The Violets may have lost their last three games on the road, but their last win at home will inspire them for the rest of the season. On Feb. 1, NYU hosted the first Tear It Up! event for the basketball team. Over a thousand students attended the match, where the Violets beat the undefeated and previously No. 1 ranked University of Rochester 65-51. The game featured great performances by co-captain and junior Ryan Tana and Stockmal. Although the Violets lost their next two matches to Emory University and Case Western University, they still have a few games left in their UAA conference.

“As we have shown with Rochester, we believe we can still beat any team on any given night,” said Stockmal.

Recently, Stockmal became the second Violet on the 2012-2013 roster and the 29th Violet overall to score 1,000 points. Stockmal went into the match against Case Western University on Feb. 8 needing only two points to reach this milestone, and surpassed it with a single game record of 20 points.

“For me, the 1,000-point was a big mark and I’m very proud I was able to accomplish it,” Stockmal said. “Additionally, I look back and think about all the people who have had an impact on me to become the player I am today. It starts with my dad, who has had the greatest impact on me, and I thank him and everyone else who made a difference.”

The team’s hopes to make the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Championships are not lost. Last year, NYU made the championships for the first time in 14 years, but went on to lose in the second round against Amherst College, which was ranked second. The Violets may yet again earn a bid to the Championship this year. NYU is currently ranked fourth in the D-III Eastern Region with a 13-9 record.

The next game for the Violets will be a Tear It Up! event against the Washington University Huskies, ranked No. 20, on Feb. 15, at Coles Sports Center at 8 p.m.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, Feb. 11 print edition. Mary Jane Dumankaya is sports editor. Email her at [email protected].