NEW YORK – Just one week after going scoreless from beyond the arc and dropping a three-point decision, NYU sank seven three-pointers and went on to a 66-65 victory over the University of Rochester at the Hunter College Sportsplex on Friday evening.
The win by the hosts improves NYU's overall record to 11-7 and its University Athletic Association record to 3-5. Rochester is 8-11 overall, 2-6 in the UAA. A week ago, Rochester edged NYU, 51-48, at the Louis Alexander Palestra.
On Sunday, Rochester will play at Brandeis University; the Judges are 3-5 after losing to Emory University. NYU will host Emory. Washington-St. Louis is the UAA standings leader at 8-0. Chicago is second (6-2), Emory third (5-3), Case Western Reserve fourth (4-4), followed by NYU and Brandeis (both 3-5), Rochester, and Carnegie Mellon (1-7).
The Yellowjackets had a chance to pull out a last-second victory, but Tessa Ludwick's three-point try from the corner bounced off the back iron and no one could get a followup chance before the horn sounded.
Ludwick scored a career-best 16 points. She had 10 of that by halftime as she keyed a 14-2 run that put UR ahead, 38-32. She hit eight straight points – two three-pointers sandwiched around a layup. She added another layup later in the run. The lead stood at 38-34 at halftime.
Kenna Lauer scored four of her eight points early in the third quarter as Rochester stretched its lead to 46-37 midway through the period. NYU found its offense, scoring 12 straight to end the third quarter with a 51-48 lead. Janean Cuffee, who led NYU in scoring last week at the Palestra, scored seven of the 12 Violet points. Lauren Koyama hit a trey to tie the score at 48-48 and Cuffee's trey at the buzzer put NYU ahead for good.
NYU stretched its edge to 60-54 with less than four minutes left. Rochester battled back. Ludwick made one free throw and Julianna Okoniewski produced a conventional three-point pay (60-58). She led UR with 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Lena Ethington had eight points and 12 boards. Shannon Loiseau had 11 rebounds, four points, and three more blocks.
Cuffee scored six straight NYU points – a layup (62-58) just before Ludwick sank a trey from the left corner 62-61), then a runner in the lane and a court length drive. It was 66-61.
Okoniewski sank two foul shots. Ludwick missed a pair with 1:01 left, but came back to drive for a layup with 30 seconds left after an NYU miss (66-65). Koyama went to the line for two free throws and 0:10.3 on the clock. She missed both. Rochester rebounded and Ethington sped downcourt with the rebound. She pulled up and dished to Ludwick in the left corner. The shot just missed, clanking off the iron.
Cuffee led NYU with 19 points. Koyama scored 14, including four three-pointers. Shaye McGoey scored eight points, Katie Foos had seven, and Annie Barrett scored seven with six rebounds before fouling out in the middle of the fourth.