NEW PALTZ – — New York University freshman guard James Janeczek (Tuckahoe, NY) sank a free throw with 10 seconds remaining and SUNY New Paltz came up empty on three attempts to tie the game in the closing seconds as the Violets held off the Hawks 48-46 this evening at Elting Gym.
Janeczek’s two free throw attempts were set up following a missed shot by New Paltz junior forward Steve Ott (New Paltz, NY) with 12 seconds remaining. Ott had an opportunity to give the Hawks their first lead of the game since the half.
NYU used a 9-4 run in the first four minutes of the second half to turn a 19-17 halftime deficit into a 28-21 lead. The Violets received a spark in the second half from Janeczek who sank three, three-point field goals in a three-minute span to give NYU a 42-34 advantage with 8:36 remaining.
From there, the Hawks (1-3) chipped away at the Violets largest lead of the game and pulled to within two, 42-40, on two free throws by junior guard Jayvard Smith (Hempstead, NY) with four minutes remaining. Smith, who was the Hawks top scorer with 10 points, would pull the Hawks to within one, 47-46, on a jumper with 1:12 to play.
The two teams struggled on the offensive end throughout the game. The Hawks were 15-of-63 (.238) from the field including 0-for-11 from three-point range. After shooting just 6-of-29 from the floor in the first half, NYU converted 48 percent of its attempts in the final 20 minutes to finish the game at 33 pecent (17-of-52).
New Paltz took a 19-17 lead into the intermission following a lay up by sophomore forward Mike Cutler (Amherst, MA). At one point in the first half, New Paltz went just over eight minutes without a field goal while the Violets went without a field goal for six and a half minutes.
Sophomore center Jeff Gilkerson (Clarks Summit, PA) led NYU with 12 points and six rebounds. Janeczek added 10 points for the Violets who raised their record to 3-1 this year. Ott had nine points and 13 rebounds for the Hawks.
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