Belle Pellecchia and Natalie Bruns combined for 40 points to lead New York University's top-ranked women's basketball team in a 78-75 victory over Bowdoin College in the final game of the NYU Holiday Classic on Friday afternoon at the Brooklyn Athletic Facility.

Bruns captured the Classic's Most Outstanding Player award while Pellecchia and Jenny Walker landed on the All-Classic Team. The Violets' victory avenged a loss to the Polar Bears in the second round of the 2020 NCAA Tournament, giving NYU its first win in three tries against Bowdoin.

"We're a team that relies on our defense, it initiates everything we do on the offensive side," said head coach Meg Barber. "It came in really handy down the stretch when it's a one-point game and we just had to get stops, had to box out, had to secure rebounds and our maturity and discipline in those situations is definitely worth its weight in gold."

The Polar Bears led for much of the first quarter, but a late free throw from Bruns put NYU ahead by one, 20-19, at the end of the opening period.

Both sides scored 20 points in the second quarter while NYU's Caroline Peper hit a mid-range jumper at the buzzer to give the Violets a 40-39 edge at halftime.

NYU took the first double-digit lead of the game, 56-46, after a Bruns jumper with 3:11 to play in the third, but the advantage was cut to five (60-55) entering the fourth.

Bowdoin kept fighting, outscoring the Violets 10-5 to open the fourth and tying the score 65-65 after a three-pointer from Jai Duval with 6:18 remaining. The Polar Bears went on the take a 75-73 lead on Maria Belardi's layup at the 2:02 mark, but it was Bowdoin's final basket of the game.

NYU held the visitors scoreless throughout the last two minutes and Pellecchia converted an and-one for the go-ahead bucket with 20 seconds left.

Pellecchia finished with 22 points (8-for-14 FG), nine assists, six boards, four steals and a block.

Bruns totaled 18 points (7-for-12 FG), eight rebounds, three blocks and two steals. She also held Bowdoin's Sydney Jones, who scored 24 points in the first half, to four second-half points after picking up her assignment for the final two quarters.

"It [Bruns' defense] won the game," Barber added. "Jones is a phenomenal player, Bowdoin is so well coached we were ready for next man up but she was certainly carrying them. Bruns' length really disrupts the three-point shot and obviously her shot blocking ability without fouling is a unique skillset. We're fortunate to have her on our side."

Walker chipped in 10 points and seven boards while Peper finished with 10 points of her own. Hanna Thrainsdottir added nine points on 4-for-4 shooting off the bench.

Today's matchup wrapped up non-league play for the Violets, who continue the 2022-23 campaign with University Athletic Association (UAA) play.

"It's invaluable," Barber said of being tested like this leading into the conference opener. "To have such a close contest and win, you just feel like you've really been tested. This will be what UAA play is game in and game out, so it's phenomenal to see us be in such a tight situation. Hopefully it just prepares us for the gauntlet ahead of us."

The Violets begin the UAA gauntlet at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, on Saturday, January 7.