NEW YORK, N.Y. – Saint Joseph's College (1–1) fell in a hard-fought 99–94 overtime battle to New York University (2–0) in the NYU Tip-Off Classic on Sunday afternoon, capping a back-and-forth early-season matchup.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Facing the 2025 NCAA DIII Tournament runner-up, Saint Joseph's set the tone early and controlled much of the first half, building a 10-point lead and carrying a 41–36 advantage into the break. Junior guard Remijo Wani (Portland, Maine) was nearly unstoppable, pouring in 17 first-half points and steering an SJC offense that owned a 26–12 edge in paint scoring before halftime.
NYU answered with a strong second half behind a huge performance from guard Carnegie Johnson, who repeatedly countered SJC runs and tallied 17 points in the period, aided by a perfect 6-for-6 showing at the line. The Monks stayed composed, with Wani and seniors Wani Donato (Portland, Maine) and Tong Maiwen (Lewiston, Maine) delivering key baskets, and freshman guard Davis Mann (Falmouth, Maine) forcing overtime with a driving finish in the final minute to make it 84–84.
In overtime, Wani scored the Monks' first six points to give SJC a 91–84 lead with 3:27 remaining. The Violets responded with an 11–2 surge, fueled by three made threes in a span of two minutes, to take a 95–93 edge with 1:08 left. NYU then sealed the win by going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in the final 15 seconds to improve to 2–0.
Overall, the game featured 11 lead changes and five tie scores, and the Monks held the lead for the majority of the contest.
STATS OF THE GAME:
The teams finished with nearly identical overall shooting numbers, yet NYU's perimeter and free-throw efficiency proved decisive. The Violets hit 44.1% (15-34) from three and went 22-for-26 at the stripe, while the Monks shot 29.6% (8-27) from deep and 56.0% (14-25) at the line. Saint Joseph's dominated the interior with a 56–30 advantage in paint points, posted a 25–9 margin in second-chance scoring, and controlled the glass 47–36, including 20 offensive rebounds.
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- Remijo Wani: 36 points (14-30 FG, 5-13 3FG), 8 rebounds, 3 assists
- Wani Donato: 16 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists
- Yusuf Dakane (Fr., Lewiston, Maine): 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals
- Davis Mann: 12 points, 5 rebounds
- Kolbyn Dunphe (Jr., Westbrook, Maine): 10 rebounds
LEADERS – NYU:
- Carnegie Johnson: 32 points, 7 assists
- Darren Rubin: 25 points (5 threes)
- Bryan Moussako: 13 points, 3 rebounds
- Andrew Waldman: 9 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
Saint Joseph's moves to 1–1 all-time against New York University with the setback. NYU, the largest NCAA Division III institution with more than 29,000 students, last faced the Monks on February 11, 1984, when SJC earned a 74–62 victory in New York City.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's returns to action next Saturday with a non-conference trip to Husson University. Tip-off is scheduled for 4:00 PM.
