Release courtest of NYU Athletics
Eight Violets scored at least six points to lead New York University's third-ranked women's basketball team over Kean University, 71-50, at the Brooklyn Athletic Facility on Saturday night.
The Violets are now 4-0 on the year, with all four victories coming by double-digits, including their first road win of the year last night at Vassar College.
"Coming on a back-to-back, we were just really focused on giving a good defensive effort," said head coach Meg Barber. "I thought our defense was absolutely outstanding to start the game. We held them to three points in the first quarter and turned them over 25 times. That's a huge testament to not just our defense, but also our depth."
NYU led 17-3 after the first, holding Kean to 1-of-10 shooting in the period to establish early control.
Kean cut its deficit to 12 multiple times early in the second, but NYU ended the quarter on a 16-8 run for a 20-point halftime advantage (37-17).
The Violets asserted themselves in the third, hitting 4-of-5 three-pointers as they secured their largest lead of the game (33 points) on Mary Kate Fahey's triple with 1:28 on the clock.
Ahead 59-28 entering the fourth, Barber extended her bench—as did Kean—and the Cougars won the quarter 22-12. But, Natalie Pence scored the final seven points of the game for NYU to preserve the 21-point win.
"I thought Honor Culpepper and Natalie Pence came in and gave really great minutes off the bench for us," Barber added. "We're looking to add depth to this team so those were great performances. We need everybody as we look to try to make this run."
Culpepper finished with six points on 2-of-2 shooting from distance, adding a pair of boards. Pence's seven points were a season high, via 3-of-5 shooting from the floor.
Natalie Bruns continued her strong start to the season, notching a game-high 15 points with nine rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals.
Belle Pellecchia (nine), Jenny Walker (eight), Erica Miller (eight), Brooklyn Shelton (seven) and Caroline Peper (six) all contributed in the scoring column for NYU.
Next up is another home contest, welcoming NESCAC foe Colby College to the Brooklyn Athletic Facility on Wednesday, November 23, at 2 p.m.
"I think every NESCAC/UAA matchup is a fight," Barber said of the upcoming game. "There's pride on the line, but we're continuing to take it one game at a time."