PURCHASE, N.Y. – The Manhattanville University men's basketball team battled on Sunday afternoon against the Skyline Conference-leading Yeshiva University, dropping the 79-57 decision versus the Maccabees inside Kennedy Gymnasium. The Valiants fall to 10-11 overall and 5-7 in the conference with the loss with four games left to play in the regular season, currently situated eighth overall in the Skyline standings.

The Valiants kept pace with the Maccabees through the first half, even taking the lead in the closing minutes of the opening stanza. Yeshiva, however, went on to show why they remained as the last unbeaten team in conference play by flipping a switch in the second, shooting 61 percent from the floor and 50 percent from deep to firmly pull away down the stretch.

Andrew Saint-Louis (Norwalk, Conn./Notre Dame Fairfield) returned to form, getting back into double figures for the first time since Jan. 14 with a team-high 13 points. His effort was supported by a pair of 12 point outings from Chris Robinso and Antonio Del Vescovo (Mount Olive, N.J./Mount Olive). Del Vescovo was a stellar catalyst off the bench, going a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor and 2-of-3 at the free throw line with six rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Robinson matched Del Vescovo's team-leading rebound total with six caroms of his own, adding seven assists, a block and a takeaway. John Ranaghan (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) came down with five boards along with his nine point, two assist line.

Yeshiva jumped out to a 7-1 lead through the opening three minutes and would lead by as many as nine in the half. Yair Dovrat spotted the visitors the nine-point cushion at 17-8 with 10:53 left. Manhattanville went on a run in response, scoring 14 of the next 17 points over five minutes to erase Yeshiva's lead and pull in front, 22-20. Ranaghan and Carlos Urena (Corona, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) struck from deep to fuel the run. The Maccabees went back in front with seven unanswered points, the first of five lead changes over the closing five minutes. A Robinson three ball had the Valiants up 31-30 with a minute to go before Dovrat answered going the other way with a three of his own to send the teams to the locker room with Yeshiva up 33-31.

The Valiants shot just 27 percent from the field and went 1-of-10 from deep in the second half as the Maccabee offense began to click. The first two buckets of the new period belonged to Yeshiva as the Maccabees pushed the lead up to double digits with 15:48 left in regulation. The Valiants got as close as eight points with Ranaghan's layup in the ensuing possession, but the Maccabee attack could not be quelled. Yeshiva outscored the Valiants 34-20 over the final 15 minutes, leading by as many as 24 to close out the win.

Up Next
The Valiants take to the Kennedy Gymnasium court on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. for the backend of a basketball doubleheader, hosting Mount Saint Mary.

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