Box Score
After a controversial sequence, Brianne Monahan hit the game-winning layup as time expired to lead #7 Washington University past the New York University women's basketball team on Sunday, January 22, in St. Louis, MO.
With the score tied at 49-49, the Bears (14-2, 4-1) inbounded with 12.3 seconds left on the game clock and 10 seconds on the shot clock. With the shot clock just about to expire, Monahan launched a three-pointer that appeared to be an airball. However, a shot-clock violation was not called, and Maddy Scheppers grabbed the rebound and missed a putback. Monahan then grabbed the board and made the game-winning bucket just before the final buzzer.
“From what I saw, the ball didn't hit the rim,” said NYU head coach Stefano Trompeo. “It's unfortunate that it came down to that. It was a devastating way to lose – I feel bad for my kids. It would have been a great accomplishment to win at Wash. U.”
The Violets (9-7, 1-4), playing their third straight game against a Top-10 opponent, put together one of their best efforts of the season to get to that point. Facing a program that has lost just seven University Athletic Association (UAA) games at home in the 25-year history of the UAA, NYU took a 21-20 lead into halftime by holding Washington to just 8-27 (29.6%) shooting in the period.
The lead was still one early in the second half before the Violets began to take over.
Tana Bertino hit a three,
Cara Bonito made a fastbreak layup and
Bianca Storts drained a triple for an 8-0 run that put NYU up 31-22 at the 16:53 mark.
After a Dani Hoover three brought the deficit back down to six,
Shelby Coon and Storts responded with layups to give the Violets their largest lead of the game at 35-25.
After that, Washington fought back, going on an 8-2 run to tie the score at 39-39. NYU regained the lead, 45-41, before Scheppers and Alexandra Keane each hit threes to give the Bears their first lead since late in the first half.
Coon responded with a hook shot to tie it, but Hoover sank a pair of free throws with 1:35 left to put Washington back up two. Storts and Coon then each went 1-2 from the line to pull the Violets back even before the wild final sequence.
“Our kids played with unbelievable effort, determination and hunger,” commented Trompeo. “I'm very proud of the performance they gave in a very tough place to play. I told them in the locker room that they gained a lot of respect from me for how they didn't quit.”
For the game, NYU held the Bears to a season-low 27.1% (16-59) from the field while shooting 42.9% (21-49).
Storts led all players with 19 points and a career-high nine rebounds and added three steals on the defensive end. Coon totaled career bests of 13 points and four steals, while Bonito had six assists.
Hoover led the Bears with 13 points. Scheppers had nine points and eight rebounds, while Keane recorded six assists, four steals and two blocks.
NYU returns to action on Friday when it hosts UAA foe Carnegie Mellon University for a Tear It Up! contest at Coles. Tip-off is at 6:00 pm.
