For an NYU team that has won 22 games this season by 20 points or more, things remained uncertain after two quarters in the Division III national title game.
The Violets entered the finals on Saturday at Capital Center Performance Arena in Columbus, Ohio with an impressive 30-0 record, trailing by just two points at the half against a 30-3 Smith team. Although they were able to score, they lost by three points in the second half. Second quarter.
Smith’s coach, Lynn Hershey, and the Pioneers held off NYU’s “firepower” and got the defensive game they wanted, holding the Violets to 23 points at halftime.
But this is NYU coach Meg Barber’s dream team, and they found a way to make things happen.
The Violets won 51-41, finishing the season undefeated and winning their first national title since 1997.
The Violets gleefully sang the lyrics to Alicia Keys’ “Nothing I Can’t Do” for the team that dominated DIII women’s college basketball in the 2023-24 season and broke Transylvania University’s 64-game winning streak in the national semifinals. Ta. “Empire State of Mind” on center court after the victory meant the world.
Barber himself is an alumnus of New York University (2002) and couldn’t be more proud of his collective.
“I’m overwhelmed. I love this program so much,” the victorious coach said on the CBS Sports Network broadcast after the game. “It means the world.”
Almost poetically, it was graduate student Morgan Morrison — a fourth-year Smith star — who led NYU with a team-high 14 points and nine rebounds.
“Morgan is a professional,” Burns said after the game. “What an emotional thing to be playing against the team she played for three years. But she handled herself amazingly well and she was so proud of herself.”
Natalie Brands, D3hoops.com’s Player of the Year, had nine points, nine rebounds and five blocks.
Bel Pellecchia and Megan Bauman had 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Their individual effort, coordination and perseverance helped pave the way to national title victory.
That was especially true after the second quarter, when NYU scored just eight points.
NYU’s defense came on strong in the second half, scoring 20 points in the final two quarters.
The Violettes trailed 41-38, but discipline kept Smith away from the free-throw line as the Pioneers hit just one of three chances from the charity stripe.
Meanwhile, NYU made 11 of 16 free throw attempts.
It’s all about trusting and supporting each other, and NYU accomplished just that on the way to a trophy and a moment of pure excitement.
“Just today, it was just going to the locker room and trusting each other and adjusting and trusting our guys and playing together,” Barber said. “I’m shocked. I can’t believe it.”
