Senior Night: Carmen, Hum-Traverso Help Stave Off Mount Saint Vincent

Four-Year Players Combine for 30 Points in 59-49 Victory

Grace Carmen's previous career-high in rebounding was eight.

Powered by Grace Carmen's first career double-double, the nationally ranked New York University women's basketball team dominated the boards en route to a 59-49 victory over the College of Mount Saint Vincent in the first round of the NYU Tip-Off Tournament on Friday night at the Jerome S. Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.

Carmen scored 14 points, collected a career-best 18 rebounds and added a personal-high five steals as the Violets (2-1), ranked #19 by D3Hoops.com and #22 in the USA Today ESPN Division III Coaches' Poll, claimed a 56-41 rebounding advantage.

Jen Hum-Traverso added 10 of her career-high 16 tallies in the second half for NYU, which improved to 15-0 all-time in its Tip-Off Tournament. Thanks to the play of their senior duo, the Violets will play Purchase College, a 68-61 winner over Lehman College, on Saturday night at 8 p.m. in hopes of capturing their eighth tourney title in as many tries since 2002.

"That's what I would expect from them," NYU head coach Stefano Trompeo said of Carmen and Hum-Traverso. "That's two players who have been here for four years. They needed to step up and they clearly did. I saw the effort and determination in their eyes."

Ciara Clarke and Karissa Koerner each tallied nine points for Mount Saint Vincent (1-1), which will oppose either Lehman or Purchase in the third-place game tomorrow at 6 p.m.

Both teams struggled offensively throughout, as NYU shot just 30.6% (19-for-62) from the field and went 5-for-27 (18.5%) from three-point range. Mount Saint Vincent found the iron even more unkind, hitting 29.7% (19-for-64) of its field-goal attempts, going 5-for-18 (27.8%) from beyond the arc and missing eight of its 14 free-throw attempts (42.9%).

NYU led 6-0 to start the game, but two consecutive three-pointers by Clarke gave the Dolphins a 30-25 lead 1:27 before the break. The Violets scored the last five points of the opening half, getting a three-pointer from Maggie Ely (career-high 8 points) and a jumper from Chelsea Blake to forge a halftime tie.

In the early part of the second half, the Violets and Dolphins traded baskets before NYU got two straight inside buckets from Carmen, two free throws from Erica Franke (personal-best 7 rebounds) and two lay-ups by Emily Foshag (6 points, 7 rebounds) to take a 45-37 lead with 11:43 left in regulation.

Mount Saint Vincent pulled within 45-43 with 7:35 left, but went the next 5:04 without scoring while the Violets got a three-pointer from Hum-Traverso, a Carmen lay-up and a Blake free throw to seize a 51-43 advantage.

Chrissy Kilmurray contributed six points, 12 boards and two blocks for NYU.

Courtney Heesemann finished with eight tallies and 12 rebounds for the Mount Saint Vincent, while Lauren Percodani had eight points and five assists.