New York University's top-ranked women's basketball team forced 34 turnovers and never trailed in a 78-46 victory over Brandeis University in Waltham, MA, on Saturday afternoon.

It was the University Athletic Association (UAA) opener for both sides as the Violets improved to 11-0 overall and 1-0 in UAA play with the win.

"For us right now it's just taking it one game at a time, but I know our team has had the UAA circled on the calender," said head coach Meg Barber. "Just excited about how competitive conference play is, how every team brings it. Certainly starting on the road we knew would be no easy task, but I just thought we started today with our defense and that defensive effort really propelled us to a first-half lead and ultimately the win."

Belle Pellecchia led the way with a game-high 16 points (6-of-12 FG) while Natalie Bruns collected a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double and Jenny Walker added 14 points. No Brandeis players reached double figures in scoring.

A successful and-one from Pellecchia gave NYU a 10-2 lead at the 6:37 mark of the first quarter. Brandeis scored the next four points but the Violets closed the frame on a 16-1 run to take a 26-7 edge after the first.

NYU opened the second with an 11-2 spurt, capped off by an Erica Miller trey, for a 37-9 lead with 5:42 left in the half. Pellecchia poured in nine second-quarter points as the Violets held a 49-21 advantage at the break.

The Judges won the third quarter 14-9, but NYU maintained a 58-35 lead entering the final stanza in front of a full house at Red Auerbach Arena.

"I think we kind of wore ourselves down defensively with our effort in the first half, but we had such a big cushion that we had to just grind it out in the third quarter to get through it," Barber noted. "I thought Chloe Teter off the bench was phenomenal, really good minutes from her and an important added piece heading into the next weekend."

Teter scored six of her eight points in the fourth, while Alyssa Alvarez chipped in five points in just four minutes of action in the final period, as the Violets ran away with a decisive Association victory.

Pellecchia added four assists, three rebounds and three steals to her game high in scoring while Bruns totaled six assists, five steals and two blocks in addition to her double-double.

Walker finished with six boards, two steals, a block and an assist to compliment her 14 points.

NYU scored 36 points off turnovers as opposed to Brandeis' nine, led 44-30 in paint points and won despite being out-rebounded 41-39.

Now, a top-10 showdown looms when the Violets head to University of Chicago next weekend.

"It's exciting, the UAA right now has like four to five teams ranked in the top 25 so there isn't going to be an easy night," Barber said. "I think for us, if we start with our defense we're a tough out."

NYU takes on #10 Chicago on Friday, January 13, at 5:30 p.m. (central) in Chicago, IL.