Box Score

The New York University women's basketball team hung tough with 16th-ranked University of Chicago but ultimately fell 87-81 on Sunday, January 23, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.

The Violets (8-8, 2-3) pulled to within one, 51-50, five minutes into the second half on a three-pointer from the right wing by Tana Bertino. But the Maroons (13-3, 5-0) scored seven of the next nine points to pull ahead, never letting NYU get closer than three the rest of the way.

Chicago's victory extended its winning streak to nine games and kept it as the lone unbeaten in the University Athletic Association (UAA) after Case Western Reserve University fell to the University of Rochester, 82-73. The Violets currently sit in fifth with a mark of 2-3 in the Association.

NYU started off well against the first-place Maroons, building a seven-point lead in the opening 10 minutes. But after Maggie Ely put the Violets up 22-15 with a tremendous three-point play on which she was hit hard but still drained a deep jumper, Chicago took over, going on a 15-2 run led by sisters Meghan and Morgan Herrick, who netted 11 of the points during the spurt.

Ely stopped the run with another jumper and NYU entered halftime trailing 43-38. Bertino's big triple got the Violets as close as one with 15:13 left, and a Kelly Loughney jumper at the 10:19 mark pulled NYU to within three, 61-58. But Taylor Simpson responded immediately with a layup and Meghan Herrick converted a three-point play to make it a seven-point game.

From there, Chicago went up by as many as 10 to record the victory, led by Simpson, who poured in 17 second-half points.

Ely finished with a career-high 25 points (9-for-10 from the free-throw line) and added a game-high six assists while playing the full 40 minutes. Chelsea Blake netted 14 points and Cara Bonito scored nine.

Simpson led the Maroons with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Meghan Herrick had 17 points and Morgan Herrick scored 14 (all in the first half) to go along with four blocks.

The Violets return to the court on Friday when they host nationally ranked University of Rochester in a Tear It Up! contest. Game time is set for 6:00 pm.