A fourth-quarter surge from the host Bears led to a 57-56 loss for New York University's top-ranked women's basketball team at Washington University in St. Louis on Sunday afternoon.

The Violets fell to 11-2 and 1-2 in the University Athletic Association (UAA), losing back-to-back games for the first time since the 2018-19 season.

Natalie Bruns starred for NYU, flirting with a triple-double as she posted 19 points, 12 rebounds and a career-high seven blocks.

The first quarter was a defensive battle with both sides shooting less than 36 percent from the floor and the score knotted at 12-12 after 10 minutes.

Bruns poured in nine of the Violets' 19 points in the second as NYU outscored the Bears 19-10 in the frame for a 31-22 halftime advantage.

The Violets jumped out to a 13-point lead early in the third, but WashU stormed back to make it a three-point game (41-38) when Nailah McBeth finished in transition with 1:53 left in the quarter. Five NYU points in the final minute, including a last-second layup from Caroline Peper, gave the Violets a 46-38 edge entering the fourth.

WashU held the Violets to 3-of-13 shooting from the floor in the fourth as they won the frame 19-10, capped off by Jessica Brooks' go-ahead free throw with four seconds left to secure the upset.

Erica Miller and Jenny Walker scored nine points apiece for NYU, while Belle Pellecchia finished with eight points, six assists, four boards and four steals.

Mary Kate Fahey added seven points off the bench and Hanna Thrainsdottir contributed seven rebounds and four blocks.

The Violets will look to get back in the win column when they return home to play Emory University on Friday, January 20, at 5:30 p.m.