February 4, 2007

Maroons Fall to NYU in Top-25 Matchup

NEW YORK -- The 19th-ranked University of Chicago men's basketball team trimmed a 15-point second half deficit down to one point in the game's closing seconds, but came up on the losing end of a 79-76 decision at 25th-ranked New York University in University Athletic Association play Sunday at NYU's Coles Sports Center.

Despite the loss, Chicago (16-4 overall, 7-2 UAA) remains tied for the conference lead with Washington (Mo.) University. The Bears lost 81-75 in triple overtime Sunday at Brandeis University.

NYU (16-4, 5-4) led the entire contest. After closing out the first half with a 10-0 run to give them a 40-29 lead at the break, the Violets scored the first four points of the second stanza to take their largest lead of the game, 44-29.

A basket by Jason Boone put NYU on top 51-38 at the 14:02 mark, before the Maroons launched an 11-2 run to cut the gap to 53-49 with 10:28 left in the contest. Freshman Jake Pancratz (Schaumburg, Ill./ Schaumburg), who finished with 11 points, hit two three-point baskets during the Maroons' run.

Pancratz's third three-pointer cut the NYU lead to 68-66 at the 2:29 mark, but the Violets scored the next five points -- four from Chael Clark -- to go up 73-66 at the 1:03 mark. Clark contributed 10 points off the bench.

Junior Nate Hainje (Brownsburg, Ind./ Brownsburg) hit a three-pointer with 36 seconds remaining and a layup with 18 seconds to go to pull the Maroons within two points, 75-73. Hainje paced the Maroons with 19 points, marking his 11th consecutive double-digit effort.

Following a Boone layup with 15 seconds left, senior Brandon Woodhead (Lincoln, Neb./ East) buried a three-pointer, cutting NYU's lead to 77-76 with nine seconds on the clock.

NYU's Charlie Parker converted a pair of free throw attempts with seven seconds left, and a Chicago three-point attempt missed as time expired.

Parker finished with 15 points and a game-high nine assists. Boone and Michael DeCorso collected 22 and 20 points, respectively, while Daniel Falcon added 11 for NYU.

Woodhead and senior Jesse Meyer (Omaha, Neb./ Bellevue West) scored 18 and 14 points, respectively, as the Maroons fell for the first time in eight games.

NYU outshot the Maroons 54% to 39% and held a 37-32 edge on the boards. The teams combined for just nine turnovers, including just two by Chicago.

Box Score