The New York University women's basketball team returned to the win column with a 56-43 victory over Hunter College on Tuesday, January 8, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.
 
Trailing at halftime by six, 27-21, the Violets caught up at 35-35 on a layup by Megan Dawe with 12:05 remaining, then took the lead for good, 40-39, on Nicole Lem's layup with 9:47 left. That basket sparked a 6-0 run as NYU continued to increase the lead until the final buzzer.
 
"Overall, I thought we showed great resiliency in the second half," said NYU Head Coach Lauren Hall-Gregory. "Our defensive effort was much better."
 
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for NYU, now 7-5 this season. Hunter fell to 3-9.
 
HIGHLIGHTS:
 
- After scoring only three points in the first half, Dawe exploded for 14 on 7-10 shooting in the second stanza. She finished with team highs of 17 points and eight rebounds.
 
-  Riley Wurtz scored 13 points and added five rebounds, four assists and four steals for the Violets.
 
-  Lem contributed nine points, five rebounds, a career-best five assists, and a career-high-tying five steals.
 
- Rachel Crittenden came off the bench to add seven rebounds, two steals, a career-high two blocks, and an assist.
 
- Hunter's Nicole Lenard totaled a game-high 18 points.
 
"We shared the ball better today," Hall-Gregory added. "Like I said in pre-game, 'give up a good shot to get a great shot.' I think our players really bought into that."
 
NYU returns to action this Friday, January 11, and hosts Case Western Reserve University. It will be the first University Athletic Association (UAA) home game of the season for the Violets.