The New York University women's basketball team, ranked #4 by D3hoops.comand #5 by USA Today, continued its undefeated start to the 2015-16 season on Sunday evening, January 3. The Violets defeated Middlebury College 70-62 at the Jerome S. Coles Sports Center in Manhattan in their final game of the NYU Holiday Classic.
 
NYU, under the direction of fourth-year Head Coach Lauren Hall-Gregory, improved to 10-0 for the third consecutive season. The Panthers fell to 5-3.
 
"This program is built on toughness and resiliency," said Hall-Gregory. "That's where we started four years ago and that's where we'll continue to be."
 
Middlebury jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead before the Violets countered with a 14-3 run of their own to take a 14-10 lead with just over three minutes left in the first quarter. NYU took a slim 18-14 lead into the second.
 
It was the Panthers who controlled the second quarter. The visitors outscored NYU 20-14 behind an 11-0 run to start the period which helped them match their largest lead of the contest at seven. Middlebury took a 34-32 lead into the break.
 
Despite losing Megan Dawe for a brief time in the second half due to injury – she would return early in the fourth – the Violets were able to control the pace of play in the third and fourth quarters. Kaitlyn Read was a large part of the effort for NYU as the junior guard scored 15 of her game-high 25 points in the second half.
 
"I think we did a better job with our defensive intensity in the second half, which created some offensive opportunities," continued Hall-Gregory. "I think we also pushed the tempo a lot better in the second half, got the ball up the floor quicker and did a better job of getting it inside."
 
Read's performance, plus Dawe's 14 points and Amy Harioka's 11 points, allowed the Violets to jump out to an 11-point lead toward the end of the fourth quarter as NYU finished with the eight-point victory.
 
"Kaitlyn has a winning mentality," said Hall-Gregory. "What you see on game day is what we see every day in practice. There's a level of intensity that you can count on."
 
HIGHLIGHTS:
 
- Read finished 10-of-12 from the free-throw line and added nine rebounds, a game-high four steals and two assists.
 
"Coach made our non-conference schedule super tough this year, and it's giving us more experience going into the UAA," said Read. "We showed that we are able to face adversity and push through even when we're behind by halftime."
 
- Dawe chipped in six rebounds and a steal in just 20 minutes.
 
- Harioka also contributed three rebounds, two steals and a block.
 
- Riley Wurtz finished with game bests in rebounds (10) and assists (4). The senior guard also chipped in two steals and two points in 35 minutes.
 
- Maya Wasowicz and Mikaela Pyatt each contributed eight points. For Pyatt, it was a season high and tied her career best.
 
- Sarah Kaufman (15), Alex Huffman (14) and Sabrina Weeks (13) led the offensive effort for Middlebury.
 
NYU returns to action on Saturday, January 9, for its University Athletic Association (UAA) opener against Brandeis University at the Coles Sports Center. The game is scheduled for 1:00 pm and will be preceded by the women's Alumni Game at 11:00 am.