Box Score
A tremendous second-half performance lifted the New York University women's basketball team to a 75-60 victory over Emory University on Sunday, January 30, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.
The Violets (10-8, 4-3) trailed through most of the first half before taking their first lead with 35 seconds to play in the period. They then stormed out of the gate in the second half, using a 14-2 run to build a 14-point advantage.
NYU would go on to hold the Eagles (8-10, 1-6) to just 22 points on 29.6% shooting in the period to pull out its second straight University Athletic Association (UAA) win, keeping pace in the crowded UAA standings.
“There were two keys to the win,” said head coach Stefano Trompeo. “Our defensive intensity in the second half and our ability to find the right person in the right spot at the right time.”
Maggie Ely was the right person most of the time in the big second half. After being held without a field goal in the first period – but still netting 10 points on 10-for-10 shooting from the free-throw line – Ely poured in 13 second-half points. She drained three of four attempts from beyond the arc in the period, finishing with 23 points for her fifth game with at least 20 points in the last six contests.
Kelly Loughney and Chelsea Blake, meanwhile, sparked the big run to start the second half. Loughney put back her own miss on the first possession of the period, and Blake followed with a steal and fastbreak layup.
After Hannah Lilly responded with a pair of free throws, NYU rattled off the next 10 points while holding Emory scoreless for more than five minutes. The Eagles got as close as six, 56-50, with 8:27 left, but Loughney drained a jumper on a feed from Cara Bonito and Ely followed with a triple to put the lead back to double digits. Emory would get no closer than seven the rest of the way as the Violets secured a 2-0 weekend in the UAA.
“The players are buying into the program,” commented Trompeo on the perfect weekend. “They're focusing on what the coaches want them to do, and it showed in our wins this weekend.”
In the first half, NYU struggled from the field (29.4% shooting) but stayed in the game by getting to the free-throw line and converting. The Violets sank 17 of 18 free throws attempts in the period, all of which were taken by Ely, Bonito and Bianca Storts. NYU finished the game 19-for-20 from the charity stripe, bringing its clip from the line over its last seven games to a tremendous 83.1% (148-for-178).
Storts and Loughney joined Ely in double figures, netting 14 and 10 points, respectively. Loughney added 10 rebounds for her fourth career double-double. Blake and Bonito doled out five assists apiece.
Misha Jackson led Emory with 21 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Emily Hyncik scored 12 points and Lilly added 10. Savannah Morgan dished out a game-best six assists.
The Violets are back in action on Friday, February 4, when they travel upstate to take on nationally ranked University of Rochester, who they beat 82-69 on Jan. 28. Tip-off is set for 6:00 pm.
