NEW YORK – The State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team (2-0) relied on a balanced attack, as it knocked off host New York University (1-1), 70-68, in the championship game of the NYU Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday evening at the Coles Sports Center in Manhattan. Senior forward Alex McCullough (Delmar, N.Y./Bethlehem Central) was named the Tournament MVP, while freshman guard/forward Jennifer Sixsmith (Plainview, N.Y./St. Anthony's) was tabbed to the All-Tournament Team.

It marked the first time in the tournament's 11-year history that NYU did not win the title. Heading into Saturday's game, the Violets were 21-0 all-time at the tournament.

The Hawks rallied out of a 15-point hole midway through the second half. After NYU's Nicole Lem put the Violets up by 15 at 57-42, the Hawks went on an 8-0 run, which was capped by a Sixsmith three-pointer at 8:52 of the second half. Six straight NYU points put the Violets back up by 13, but New Paltz started crawling back, going on a 13-2 spurt that featured six points by Sixsmith. A pair of made free throws by McCullough with 3:11 remaining in regulation pulled the Hawks within two at 65-63, but Megan Dawe knocked down two freebies at 2:16 of the second half to swell the Violet lead back to four. A layup by senior guard Maliqua Fisher (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) and two made free throws by McCullough tied the score at 67-all with 1:22 left on the clock, and New Paltz gained its first lead since 16:36 of the second half when freshman forward Michelle Valle (New York City, N.Y./Manhattan Center for Science/Mathematics) hit a layup with 32 seconds remaining.

Lem made one of two free throws to draw the Violets within one, and McCullough did the same to put the Hawks back up by two with 10 seconds left. Looking to go for the win with a three-point try, NYU found Cassidy Jourdan beyond the arc with time running out. McCullough blocked Jourdan at the buzzer to seal New Paltz's victory.

The first half featured a stalemate between the two teams, with neither side gaining more than a three-point edge in the period. After a similar back-and-forth battle in the second half, NYU went on a 13-0 tear that put the Violets up by 14. Junior forward Liz Hauser (East Williston, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) hit a free throw to stop the run, but Lem's made jumper gave NYU its largest lead of the night at 15.

New Paltz shot just 34.3 percent (23-of-67) from the floor but went 16-of-20 (80 percent) from the foul line. Meanwhile, NYU was 24-of-54 (44.4 percent) from the field and made 72.7 percent (16-of-22) of its free throws. Both teams collected 40 rebounds, while the Violets committed 17 turnovers to the Hawks' 11.

McCullough and Sixsmith led the Hawks on offense with 11 points each, with Sixsmith's total coming in 17 minutes of reserve duty. Senior guard Kahsyrah Bryant (North Babylon, N.Y./North Babylon) added 10 points to round out the Hawks' scorers in double figures. Fisher grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, while McCullough had three blocks.

NYU had four players in double figures: Riley Wurtz (15), Dawe (13), Lem (11) and Melissa Peng (10). Wurtz completed the double-double with 11 rebounds and also chipped in with seven assists.

New Paltz has a 10-day respite from competition and resumes action on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at Eastern Connecticut State University. Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.