The New York University two-time defending NCAA Division III Champion women's basketball team is Final Four bound for the third consecutive year.

The Violets posted their 91st-consecutive victory, now the second-longest in NCAA basketball history, when they defeated the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 72-47 in an NCAA Elite 8 match-up on Saturday, March 14, at the John A. Paulson Center in Manhattan.

The Violets led from start to finish in passing UConn's 90 straight wins from 2008-10. Only the Huskies' 111 consecutive victories from 2014-17 are more than the Violets have produced.    

NYU has never lost a home game on its home court since the Paulson Center opened prior to the 2023-24 season.

"We lead with our defense," said Head Coach Meg Barber. "We were locked in. We were physically and mentally tough and did not allow them to make a three-pointer. Our team played with poise and confidence."

After the first quarter ended at 17-12, the Violets scored the first 11 points of the second quarter and the outcome was never in doubt.

NYU went ahead by as many as 19 points, 35-16, before heading into halftime with a 38-20 advantage.

The lead was extended to 23 on Aila Kaibara's basket, 47-24.

Wisconsin La Crosse went on an 8-0 run to cut its deficit to 15.  

However, Zahra Alexander scored NYU's next seven points to thwart the Eagles' comeback and the Violets went on to lead 56-38 after the third quarter.

Consecutive three-pointers from Brooke Batchelor put NYU ahead 62-40, then another one boosted the Violets to a 70-47 lead with 2:39 remaining.

Two free throws by Kaibara with 1:19 left ended the scoring.

Batchelor finished with a game-high 22 points, connecting on 8-of-11 from the field, including 6-of-7 from long distance.

"My teammates did a great job of finding me," Batchelor said. "I did my best to run the floor in transition and I was able to find the open gap."

Alexander scored 19 points, while Caroline Peper contributed 10 points and a game-high five assists.

"I was just trying to take what the defense was giving me," Alexander explained. "My teammates did a great job of spacing the floor."

Yasmene Clark and Caitlin Kenney led the way with eight rebounds each. 

"It was surreal," said Peper, the team's lone senior playing her final game at the Paulson Center. "I couldn't have pictured a better way to go out here at Paulson. I'm super excited to be on the national stage with this team."

Next up for the undefeated Violets (29-0) will be undefeated University of Scranton (29-0) in the National Semifinal. 

"They are tough and well-coached," Barber said. "NYU has history against Scranton in the NCAA Tournament, but tonight we're just going to enjoy what this team has accomplished."

The Final Four will be played in Salem, VA, with the semifinals on Thursday, March 19, and the Championship Final on Saturday, March 21.