GAMEDAY PREVIEW: Men's Basketball vs. Sarah Lawrence College Gryphons: 11/20/18

By Roey Herzfeld

(WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY) The YU Maccabees will host the Sarah Lawrence College Gryphons in what is, for both teams, their Skyline Conference Opener. Prior to the game, YU will celebrate and unveil the championship banner, marking last year’s Skyline Conference title. The defending champs will look to defend their crown against the Sarah Lawrence Gryphons, who were just 4-21 last season and 3-17 in Skyline play. The Macs have opened up non-conference play with two heartbreaking losses and are looking to rebound with an in conference victory. Similarly, the Sarah Lawrence Gryphons are 1-2 in non-conference play and are hoping to reverse last year’s Skyline fortune with an opening night win. Here are some things to look for in tonight’s matchup:

1.Freshman Phenom: Standing at 6”7, Freshman Guard Ryan Turell has been Yeshiva’s most dominant player in the opening two games. With just two games in his college career, Turell already leads the Macs with 21 ppg. His three point shot has been a key to the Macs offense as he has shot a ridiculous 8/12 from behind the arc. Turnovers have been a problem for the Freshman, however, picking up 9 in the loss to Ramapo last week. Look for Turell to work on ball security while still being efficient on offense.

2. BJ Sanders: If the Gryphons have any chance to compete in this game it will likely be dependent on Junior Forward BJ Sanders. Sanders put up a career high 31 points in Sunday’s loss to Regis and has been a key to the Gryphons offense in his past two years as well. In last season’s loss to the Macs, Sanders created problems for the Yeshiva defense all night, finishing with 26 points and 8 rebounds. This matchup could very well be decided by how much production comes from the Junior from Maryland.

3. Simcha Halpert debut: Last season’s top scorer for the Macs, Simcha Halpert, has missed the opening two games of the season due to a foot injury, but will be active for tonight’s game. The Macs have missed his 20 plus points per game and will benefit tremendously from the Junior’s return to the lineup. Coach Elliot Steinmetz will likely restrict Halpert to limited minutes, but gradually increase his role over the next few games until fully healthy. Simcha’s younger brother, Eitan, has taken full advantage of the elder Halpert’s injury, averaging almost 10 points and 5 assists per game in his absence.

Come out and celebrate our 2017-2018 Skyline Conference Championship and watch as we hoist the championship banner. Tipoff is 8 PM. Catch the action live on macslive.com or streaming on Facebook Live.