In its toughest test so far this season, the #2-ranked New York University women's basketball team defeated Whittier College 54-46 on Wednesday, November 22, at the John A. Paulson Center in Manhattan.   

From the start, the Violets (5-0) could not shake the pesky Poets (3-2).

The teams were tied after the first quarter (13-13) and at halftime (19-19), before Whittier took a game-high five-point lead, 30-25, in the third.    

Caroline Peper's three-point shot, followed by her three-point play, put NYU back on top.

Then, after the Poets reclaimed a 32-31 lead, consecutive three-pointers from Natalie Bruns put NYU ahead for good.  

"Most games I don't shoot six, seven three's," said Bruns, who went 3-for-7 from behind the arc. "But, knowing that I am a capable three-point shooter and that's what it was going to take to win at this point and time was really key."  

The NYU advantage grew to a game-high 10 points, 54-44, on Belle Pellecchia's layup with just 26 ticks remaining. 

Bruns finished with a team-high 14 points. Morgan Morrison had 10 and Peper finished with eight.

Morrison collected a team-high-nine rebounds, while Bruns had eight to go with four blocks. 

It wasn't a pretty game, as the team's combined for 42 turnovers. The Poets were held to 11.1 percent shooting (1-for-9) from three-point range, while the Violets only connected on 29.2 (7of-24) percent of their long-distance attempts. 

"That's a tough team we played. They beat Bowdoin the other night. They didn't come here not to win," said NYU Head Coach Meg Barber. "But, we found a way to get it done down the stretch, and that's what matters."

Whittier's Rhe Nae Leach led all scorers with 28 points. 

The Violets return to action this Sunday when they are back at the Paulson Center for a 2:00pm game against Ramapo College.