Behind a stout defensive effort and four scorers in double figures, the New York University women's basketball team defeated Clarkson University 62-40 in the opening game of the 2011 NYU Tip-Off Tournament on Friday, November 18, at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan.
 
The Violets (2-0) advance to the Tip-Off Championship, where they will face the winner of the contest between FDU-Florham and St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn on Saturday, Nov. 19, at 8:00 pm.
 
Cara Bonito (11 points), Bianca Storts (10 points), Shelby Coon (career-high 10 points), and Diana Leondis (career-high 10 points) all scored in double figures, leading an NYU offense that shot 43.6% from the floor (24-55).
 
Defensively, the Violets held the Golden Knights (0-1) to just 31.7% shooting (13-41). The 40 points allowed were the fewest by NYU since the opening game of last season's Tip-Off Tournament, when it defeated SUNY Plattsburgh 72-40.
 
Coupled with their season-opening 72-49 win at York College (NY) on Tuesday, the Violets have held back-to-back opponents under 50 points for the first time since the first two games of the 2008-09 season.
 
"Our activity level on defense was very good for the majority of the game," said head coach Stefano Trompeo. "We still need to go a full 40 minutes, but holding a team under 50 points again is pretty good. I'm pleased with our overall effort."
 
NYU busted the game open midway through the first half, turning a 12-9 advantage into a 22-11 lead with a 10-2 run. Clarkson pulled to within eight, 27-19, on a Leighann Tomita three-pointer, but the Violets scored the final six points of the half to enter the break leading 33-19.
 
The Golden Knights got no closer than 14 in the second half, with NYU taking its largest lead on the game's final bucket.
 
Coon added a career-high-tying 12 rebounds to her 10 points to record her first career double-double. Alexis Doherty narrowly missed a double-double of her own, totaling nine points and eight boards, while Storts pulled down seven rebounds.
 
Bonito made a career-high four steals while shooting 7-7 from the free-throw line. As a team, the Violets converted 14 of their 16 attempts from the charity stripe (87.5%).
 
Chrissy Scanlon led Clarkson with 12 points. Taliah Pounds recorded nine points and seven rebounds, while Tomita made a game-high five steals.