Box Score

The New York University women's basketball team overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to force overtime but could not pull out the road win, falling 82-73 at Emory University on Friday, February 10, in Atlanta, GA.
 
The Violets (10-11, 2-8) trailed 36-20 at halftime before putting together a remarkable comeback. Bianca Storts scored 20 points in the second half to lead the rally and nearly single-handedly sent the game to overtime in the final minute.
 
With NYU down five, Storts banked in a jumper in the paint with 58.4 seconds left to start the remarkable spurt. On the other end, she stole a pass at the top of the arc and went coast-to-coast for a layup, pulling the Violets to within one with 37 seconds remaining.
 
After a defensive stop, NYU took a timeout with 15.2 ticks on the clock. Storts, however, missed a jumper similar to the one she had hit just 50 seconds earlier, and Melissa Koike came down with the rebound for the Eagles (15-6, 6-4).
 
Koike went to the line for a one-and-one with just 1.2 seconds left. She missed the shot, and Storts was fouled going up for the rebound, sending her to the charity stripe for a one-and-one with 0.4 seconds to play.
 
Needing one make to tie and two to win, Storts hit the first free throw but missed the second, sending the game to overtime.
 
In the extra session, though, Emory used a 7-0 run – during which it went 5-6 from the line – to hold off the Violets.
 
“The second half was the best basketball we have played all season,” said NYU head coach Stefano Trompeo. “Our level of intensity and the confidence we had in our shots were tremendous. At the same time, we needed to be able to match that level of intensity in the first half.
 
“Still, I give them a lot of credit,” he added. “They proved to themselves that they can play that way. I'm hoping we can match that level of play over our next eight halves. If we do, we'll be tough to beat.”
 
After a first half in which they shot just 29.6% (8-27) while turning the ball over 12 times, the Violets trailed by 16 at the break. In the second half, NYU shot a scorching 60.7% (17-28) from the field, including 5-7 (71.4%) from beyond the arc.
 
The Violets were nearly unstoppable to start the second period, going on a 10-0 run in the first 3:13 to pull to within six.
 
A Makenzie Hirz layup brought NYU to within three, 54-51, with 8:52 to play, but the Eagles responded with an 8-0 run to go back up 11.
 
Cara Bonito stopped the run with a jumper, and Storts then drained back-to-back threes to again make it a three-point contest. Jumpers by Misha Jackson and Hannah Lilly gave Emory the five-point edge with 1:11 left before Storts took over and forced overtime.
 
“Bianca's performance was outstanding,” noted Trompeo. “For her to be able to do what she did on offense while guarding the top scorer in the UAA [Lilly] was tremendous. The same goes for Cara, and Melissa Peng brought a lot of energy off the bench and helped us out a lot tonight.”
 
In overtime, Bonito hit two free throws to give the Violets an early two-point lead. But Savannah Morgan responded with a trey, and after a Hirz free throw tied it, the Eagles went on a 7-0 run to earn the victory.
 
Storts finished with a career-high 24 points for NYU, while Bonito had 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Hirz had nine points, 12 boards and four assists.
 
Jackson had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead Emory. Morgan recorded 15 points and six assists, while Lilly totaled 14 points and three assists.
 
The Violets return to the court on Sunday when they travel to 11th-ranked University of Rochester. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 pm.