From NYU Athletics

The New York University women's basketball team defeated host Carnegie Mellon University 68-63 in University Athletic Association (UAA) action on Friday, February 2, at Skibo Gymnasium in Pittsburgh, PA.

NYU, which defeated Carnegie Mellon 83-65 last Friday evening at the Sportsplex, won its third-straight game to improve to 11-8 on the season and even its UAA record at 4-4. The Tartans dropped to 9-10 in 2017-18 and are 1-7 in Association play.

The game was tied 48-48 through three quarters and NYU Head Coach Lauren Hall-Gregory leaned on an experienced lineup for the final 10 minutes...and that decision paid off. A group of three seniors and a graduate student helped the Violets go ahead by as many as seven in the final quarter and hold on to complete the season sweep of the Tartans.

Kaitlyn Read, the graduate student, and Kayla Patterson, one of Hall-Gregory's seniors, combined for 45 points, including 26 in the second half. Senior Mikaela Pyatt chipped in with six points, while classmate Cassidy Fontana drained her only field goal attempt and added four boards and two assists.

After NYU went ahead 61-54 with 4:31 to play, Carnegie Mellon scored seven of the next nine points to cut NYU's lead to 63-61 with 1:50 on the clock. Read made five-of-six free throw attempts in the final 24 seconds and the Violets were able to get a big stop on defense to clinch the victory.
 
Makayla Fillere scored 23 points to lead Carnegie Mellon, while teammate Katharine Higgins chipped in with 15.

Oliva Linebarger grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds for the Violets, three shy of her career high, as NYU out-rebounded the Tartans 44-33 on the evening.

NOTABLES:

- Read finished the game 9-for-10 from the free throw line and also added six rebounds, six assists and three steals in 36 minutes of action.

- The Violets turned the ball over 13 times, which ties their low in UAA play.

- Nine of Linebarger's 11 rebounds came in the first half as NYU out-rebounded the Tartans 23-16 through two quarters.

- Patterson also helped out on the boards with seven rebounds.