Box Score
After 50 minutes, 12 lead changes, nine ties, and two extra sessions of basketball, Hunter College finally pulled away for a 70-64 victory over intracity rival New York University on Monday night at the Hunter Sportsplex.
NYU (4-3) forced the second overtime when Jen Hum-Traverso (8 points, 5 assists) hit three free throws with 1:00 remaining in the first overtime tied the score at 54-all. In fact, the Violets had the ball with a chance to pull ahead, but were forced into a shot-clock violation by the Hawks (4-2).
To start the second period of bonus basketball, Hunter tallied the first five points as Deseree Boler, who netted 11 of her 15 points in the two overtimes, converted an old-fashioned three-point play and Megan McKenna (16 points in a game-high 47 minutes) produced a bucket to make it 59-54 with 3:47 left.
A trey from Maggie Ely (9 points) got the Violets within 61-61 with 2:11 remaining, but the Hawks got a jumper from Boler and two free throws from Andrea Buckham (game-highs of 19 points and 12 boards) to make it 65-60 with 51.4 seconds remaining.
NYU pulled within 66-64 on a Grace Carmen (12 points, 6 rebounds in 43 minutes) bank shot with 27.2 ticks left. The Violets burned their final timeout afterward, but on the ensuing inbounds play, they recovered a loose ball and tried to call a timeout, only to get whistled for a technical foul since they were out of stoppages. Two more free throws from Boler made it 68-64 with 26.3 seconds left.
From there, NYU missed all four of its free-throw attempts, including two on purpose in hopes of producing a quick basket, but did not score again. Two more free throws from Boler with 3.7 ticks to go iced the game for the Hawks, who improved to 28-39-1 all-time against the Violets.
In the second half, the Violets led by as many as six and held a 49-47 advantage before a McKenna score with 1:20 remaining forged a 49-49 tie and forced the first overtime. This came after a first half that saw Hunter grab a 23-17 lead before Hailey Kimball, who finished with 12 points and three steals in a career-high 33 minutes, scored eight straight points, including the first four to spark an 8-2 surge that helped NYU secure a 25-25 tie after the first 20 minutes.
Overall, Hunter shot 40.7% (24-for-59) and owned a 38-22 edge on points in the paint. The Hawks shot 3-for-5 from three-point range and hit 19 of their 30 free-throw tries (63.3%). In both overtimes, Hunter hit five of its seven field-goal attempts (71.4%) and went 11-for-16 (68.8% at the charity stripe.
Meanwhile, NYU hit just 29.0% of its shots (20-for-69), including a 4-for-27 performance from long distance. The Violets did hit 71.4% (20-for-28) of their free throws, but were held to 23.5% shooting (4-for-17) in the two overtimes while hitting just six of their 11 free-throw attempts (54.5%).
Both teams grabbed 46 rebounds and combined for 51 turnovers (Hunter 27, NYU 24).
NYU returns to action Wednesday, Dec. 9, when it hosts New Jersey City University at 6 p.m. This will be the first game of a doubleheader with the Violets' men's team, which will oppose the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at 8 p.m.
