Hirz' Career Night Highlights Violets' 87-65 Victory Over NJCU

Rookie, Kilmurray Post Double-Doubles as Five Score in Double Digits

Makenzie Hirz scored 18 points in just 19 minutes.

Freshman Makenzie Hirz' career highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in just 19 minutes, highlighted New York University's dominance down low in its 87-65 victory over New Jersey City University in non-conference women's basketball action Wednesday night at the Jerome S. Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.

Ebony Cunningham led all scorers with a career-high 27 points, including five three-pointers, and added 12 rebounds as the Gothic Knights (0-7) totaled their most points scored this season.

Hirz contributed 10 points and six rebounds in just eight first-half minutes as the Violets (5-3) owned sizable advantages in rebounding (64-44), points in the paint (44-26) and bench scoring (26-2). Chrissy Kilmurray posted her fourth career double-double and second this season with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Grace Carmen had 17 points and eight boards as NYU produced its most points this season.

Meanwhile, Emily Foshag did her part on the perimeter, scoring a season-high-tying 14 points and canning a season-best four three-pointers. She produced five of her tallies during an 11-2 first-half burst that capped the opening 20 minutes and gave the Violets a 44-36 bulge at intermission after they traded the lead 12 times with the Gothic Knights early on.

Chelsea Blake rounded out NYU's quintet of double-digit scorers with 13 points and seven rebounds. The junior also recorded career highs of six assists and five steals.

Overall, NYU shot 46.5% (33-for-71) from the field, including 42.9% (9-for-21) from three-point range.

Miesha Cooke added 17 points finished with 17 points, while Ashley Freeman tallied 11 points, five rebounds and four assists for New Jersey City. Freeman, Cooke and Cunningham each played all 40 minutes for the Gothic Knights, who led 7-2 at the outset and claimed their last advantage when Cunningham canned a three-pointer to make it 34-33 in favor of the visitors 3:11 before halftime.

Lindia Fischer snared 15 rebounds for New Jersey City, which shot 29.1% (25-for-86), but scored 19 points off 25 Violet turnovers.

The Violets are now off until Jan. 2, 2010, when they host FDU-Florham in its first game of the NYU New Year's Classic. Tip-off time will be 1 p.m.