Sophomore Misha Jackson scored a team-high 17 points and freshman Hannah Lilly contributed 16 points but it wasn’t enough as the Emory women’s basketball team dropped a hard-fought decision to New York University Sunday afternoon at the Woodruff PE Center.  The Violets of NYU upped their overall record to 11-9, 5-4 in the University Athletic Association following an 81-76 win over the Eagles who dropped to 9-11 overall, 2-7 in the conference.

NYU shot 51.9 percent (28-of-54) from the floor compared the Emory’s mark of 40.8 percent (29-of-71).  While both teams knocked down five three-point field goals, NYU enjoyed an edge at the charity stripe, hitting 20-of-26 with Emory sinking 13-of-20 tries.  The Eagles did finish with a 40-36 edge in rebounding and were led in the department by sophomore Danielle Landry’s 11 boards, her fifth performance of double digits in the category this year.

After trailing by a seven-point margin, 38-31, at halftime, the Eagles faced a 12-point deficit with 15:54 left in the game following a three-point field goal by Chelsea Blake.  Blake would lead all scorers with 20 points, hitting five-of-10 from the floor, including three-of-five from beyond the arc, and all seven of her free throw attempts.  Emory responded with a 9-0 run, with junior Becca Feldman scoring five points and Lilly four points, to draw to within 49-46 with 13:55 on the clock.  NYU regrouped and pushed its lead back to 12 points with 7:40 remaining before an Emory 13-4 scoring burst, with Jackson scoring six points in that stretch, cut the gap to three points with 2:22 left.  After a bucket by NYU’s Kelly Loughney, who scored 19 points off the bench, pushed its margin back to five points, Emory senior Courtney Von Stein’s layup enabled the Eagles to creep back to a 75-72 deficit.  The Violets then used six free throws by Blake over the last 22 seconds of the game to hold Emory and escape Atlanta with a win.

Freshman Savannah Morgan rounded out the Eagles double-figure scorers with 13 points and also dished out a team-high five assists.

Emory returns to action on Friday (Feb. 11) when it hosts No. 7-ranked Washington University at 6:00 p.m.