Despite a late rally by the women’s team and a strong first-half showing by the men’s, UR’s basketball teams both fell to highly-ranked New York University squads this week.
The men’s team lost 80-73 to #13 NYU, while the women’s squad was bested 86-59 by the undefeated, top-ranked Violets.
NYU came out strong in the men’s match-up, pulling ahead 12-5 in the first 15 minutes, but the Yellowjackets shrunk the gap to 1 point thanks to three-pointers from senior Matt Wiele and first-year Malachi Moore along with a fast break layup by Simon School graduate student Matt Niemczura.
The Violets stretched their lead back out to 3 points before an 11-2 run over 2:51 by sophomore Tomiwa Adetosoye and threes from Wiele and Niemczura pulled UR ahead 29-24 with 4:33 left in the first. The Violets shot back with a 7-2 run capped off by a three-pointer by NYU graduate student Spencer Freedman. NYU had a 33-32 lead at the end of the half.
The Yellowjackets struggled out of the second-half gate. They coughed up five turnovers and shot 4-for-9 as the Violets outscored them 21-8 from the 17:40 mark until there were just over 9 minutes left.
NYU led 58-46. The Yellowjackets rallied, closing the Violets’ lead to four with under a minute left, but free throws from Freeman and NYU senior Cinque Stephens sealed the win for the Violets.
The loss dropped Yellowjackets men’s basketball to 8-9 on the year (2-9 in University Athletic Association play), while the Violets are now 14-3 (4-2 UAA).
The women’s game was not as close.
#1 NYU went up 9-0 to open the game and led by at least 6 points for the rest of the contest. That 6-point margin came after junior Franki Gomez and seniors Kat Jenks and Abby Gress sank three straight two-pointers in the first quarter to make it 17-11.
But the Violets owned the second quarter, outscoring the Yellowjackets 27-12 for a 52-25 score at the end of the half. That dominance extended through the third quarter, in which NYU held the Yellowjackets to just three field goals while going 8-for-14 themselves.
UR showed signs of life towards the end of the game. The Yellowjackets posted 10 of the first 13 points in the fourth quarter thanks to layups by first-year Tia Poulakidas and Simon School graduate student Callie McCulley as well as a shot by Simon School graduate student Hannah Lindemuth. They outscored the Violets 20-15 to end the game, but the rally was not enough to overcome the 71-39 deficit they faced coming out of the third quarter.
The Violets’ win came on the back of strong shooting performances by NYU graduate students Natalie Bruns and Morgan Morrison and NYU junior Belle Pellecchia.
NYU women’s basketball is now 17-0 on the year (6-0 UAA), the second best start in their program’s history. The Yellowjackets fell to 8-9 (3-3 UAA) with the loss.
Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams play away at Brandeis University on Sunday and have a home rematch against NYU on Friday. The women’s team will play at 5:30 p.m., while the men’s game is at 7:30 p.m., both in the Palestra.
