Yeshiva University eliminated from NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament
Published March 2, 2018
Sophomore Gabriel Leiter of the Yeshiva University Maccabees takes on a player from Purchase College during the team’s championship victory on Feb. 25, 2018, which earned an automatic qualification into the NCAA tournament. (Courtesy Yeshiva University)
(JTA) — Yeshiva University was eliminated from the NCAA Division III men’s basketball tournament with an 81-67 opening-round loss to host York College of Pennsylvania.
The Maccabees, who were making their first appearance in the national tournament, finished their season with a record of 18-11.
Gabriel Leifer, a 6-5 forward from Lawrence, New York, led Yeshiva with 18 points. Daniel Katz and Simcha Halpert had 15 and 12 points, respectively, while Tyler Hod contributed 8 points and 9 rebounds.
Yeshiva, a strong three-point shooting squad, missed 26 of its 32 shots from beyond the arc.
York, now 24-4, advanced to play the winner of Friday’s Nazareth-Hamilton matchup on Saturday night.
Matt Scamuffo powered the Spartans, champions of the Capital Athletic Conference, with 24 points.
York led 46-34 at halftime after holding a 19-point advantage at one point.
On Sunday, Y.U. defeated Purchase College, 87-81, in Purchase, New York, to win the Skyline Conference championship and the automatic berth in the national event.
Division III member institutions do not offer scholarships to their student-athletes.
