The Emory University women's basketball team narrowly lost to No. 6 ranked NYU falling 64-60 on Friday night in the Woodruff PE Center.
With the loss the Eagles move to 6-6 in UAA play with just two games remaining on the UAA slate while they sit at 15-7 overall. With their victory the Violets sit alone atop the UAA standings with a healthy 10-2 record against conference opponents.
For the third consecutive game sophomore Daniella Aronsky led the Eagles in scoring as she notched 12 points including three deep balls while also notching three assists as she continues to add to her nation leading assist totals. Junior Izzy Munson was Emory's leading scorer off the bench as she tallied nine points while also totaling two rebounds. Sophomore Erin Martin did much of the dirty work for the Eagles throughout the game as she registered two steals and three blocks and continued to work in the paint to the tune of seven rebounds. For the Violets Natalie Bruns recorded a double-double with a game-high 19 points and 12 rebounds.
The Eagles three point defense was stout as they allowed just two three-pointers from the Violets but NYU found a way to score elsewhere as they shot 46% from two and also knocked in 12 free throws. NYU also generated advantages on defense forcing Emory into 18 turnovers to just nine of their own which led to 19 points off turnovers for the Violets. The Eagles bench production allowed them to stay in the game as they out scored NYU by a margin of 28-8.
The game began as a back-and-forth affair with neither team leading by more than four points at any point in the first half as NYU led 28-24 at halftime. The start of the third quarter marked the first time either team was able to create any separation as the Violets began the half on an 11-4 run which would give them their largest lead for the entirety of the game at 11 points. The Eagles responded quickly though, immediately following that up with a 9-0 run of their own punctuated by a trailer three in transition from sophomore Morgan Laudick. The Eagles would go on to take the lead back on a layup from junior Paige Gross as the Eagles led 47-45 heading into the fourth quarter.
A 10-0 run through the first five minutes of the fourth put the Violets in pole position as they led 55-47 but per usual the Eagles weren't done battling. The Eagles slowly chipped away at the Violets lead getting back to a single possession game on a three-pointer from Laudick with 25 seconds left to play. Emory quickly sent NYU's Caroline Peper to the line who split her attempts making it a three-point ball game with the ball in the Eagles hand and 23 seconds remaining. The Eagles managed three good looks from three point land on their final possession, with the best look coming from an open Aronsky off of an offensive rebound from freshman Lily Kennedy, but were unable to get any to fall as the Eagles fell in the end 64-60.
The Eagles will be back in the Woodruff PE Center on Sunday for their final home game of the regular season against the Brandeis Judges at 2:00 PM.