Basketball brings strong wins, one loss

Sophomore+Alec+Papesch%2C+fights+through+the+John+Jay+defense+to+get+the+ball+in+the+hoop.+

Sam Bearzi

Sophomore Alec Papesch, fights through the John Jay defense to get the ball in the hoop.

Bobby Wagner, Staff Writer

Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams had success this weekend, with the men securing a commanding 89-63 victory over Manhattanville College and the women winning 60-41 against Springfield College. The men’s team also lost a close game on Nov. 21 to The Sage Colleges by a score of 68-65.

The 17th-ranked Lady Violets put their undefeated record on the line when they traveled to Springfield, Massachusetts, on Nov. 22. But with the help of a solid game from junior forward and captain Megan Dawe, the team was able to turn a three-point halftime lead into a 19-point win. The three-point lead was extended in the second half largely thanks to a 15-2 run at the 15-minute mark.

The team mustered enough energy in the second half to beat an overmatched Springfield squad on its home court. Dawe was the only Violet to reach double digits in points, scoring 12, but with a stifling defense holding Springfield to just 40 points the Violets did not need a lot of scoring. Sophomore guard Kaitlyn Read chipped in a solid all-around game as well, adding six points and leading the team with seven boards. The women are now 4-0 on the year and will next play St. Josephs College of Long Island in Patchogue, New York, on Nov. 25.

The men’s team split its weekend slate of games. On Nov. 21, the team fell to The Sage Colleges in a close 68-65 contest. The Violets were able to battle back from a 13-point deficit with about 16 minutes to play but were unable to complete the comeback. Junior center Costis Gontikas had a season-high 21 points in the game.

The team was able to even their record to 2-2 on Saturday as the offense stole the show, hanging 89 points on Manhattanville College in their namesake tournament. Junior forward Evan Kupferberg, who was named to the all-tournament team after a dominant weekend, led the way for the Violets with 27 points and 12 rebounds — his third straight double-double. He is off to a strong start this season, averaging 18 points and nearly 12 rebounds per game, and the team will need his impressive performances to continue once they start facing UAA rivals.

The Violets got solid guard play from freshman Ross Udine, who contributed seven points and nine assists in the winning effort. The men dominated their second game of the weekend because of team rebounding. Manhattanville only managed one offensive rebound all game, a testament to how well each player boxed out and covered their assignments. NYU outscored them 21-3 on second-chance points, helping them to gain a 54-30 advantage in the paint. These three statistics explain the Violets’ victory.

The team will take on the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on Nov. 29 in North Adams, Massachusetts.

A version of this article appeared in the Nov 24 print edition. Email Bobby Wagner at [email protected].