From University of Rochester Athletics
For the second time in 16 days, the University of Rochester women's basketball team stampeded back from a deficit late in the fourth quarter to force overtime, then went on to win.
On Sunday afternoon, it was Rochester rallying from 69-61 hole against NYU in the last 3:42 to tie the game at 70-all. Then in the OT, the Yellowjackets nosed ahead in the last 96 seconds to seize an 83-79 victory. UR opened the UAA season with a 72-68 double OT win at Emory on January 6.
This was Rochester's 10th consecutive victory and raised UR's record to 15-1 overall, 5-0 in the UAA. NYU slipped to 8-8 overall, 1-4 in the UAA. Rochester is ranked #7 in the D3hoops.com poll and in the poll conducted by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
The victory keeps Rochester tied for first place in the UAA with the University of Chicago. Emory University is in third place at 4-1 and Washington University (MO) is two games back at 3-2. Washington and Chicago come east next weekend, visiting Rochester (Washington Friday night, Chicago Sunday afternoon) and Emory (Chicago Friday, Washington Sunday).
The Rochester win was the 500th career coaching victory for UR head coach Jim Scheible. This is his 27th season as a women's basketball head coach and his 19th season at Rochester. Scheible's career record is 500-222. His mark at Rochester is 359-151.
Lauren Deming scored a career high 35 points for Rochester, hitting 14 of 19 from the floor, 4 of 7 outside the arc. She added nine rebounds, two assists, and four steals in 32 minutes before fouling out in OT. The 35 points were the fourth highest point total ever scored by a Rochester women's player in a game.
Alexandra Leslie scored 14 points (7-10 FGs) with nine rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Lizzy Atkinson had nine points – two huge free throws with 0:08 left in OT and UR up, 81-79. Lena Ethington, Lauren Foley, and Gillian Mair each scored six points.
For NYU, Kaitlyn Read was dynamic. She scored a career best 37 points on 13 of 24 field goal accuracy, 5 of 8 outside the arc, and 6-11 at the line. She added 10 steals, two assists, and five boards. Olivia Linebarger scored nine points as did Mikaela Pyatt and Lauren Brown.
Eight straight points by Read in a stretch of 77 seconds gave NYU a 69-61 lead with 3:19 to play in the fourth. Ethington hit a jumper from right wing, Deming drove for a layup, and Foley made a big three-pointer from left wing with 1:34 left to get Rochester within a point at 69-68. Lauren Brown made one of two free throws for NYU with 50 seconds left (70-68), but Deming tied it on a layup at 0:14. The Yellowjackets kept Read from shooting in the closing seconds and a buzzer shot was off-target.
Deming and Read went back and forth at the start of overtime. After Read's corner jumper (72-70 NYU), Deming drained a three from the top of the key, then drove for a layup and made a free throw for a conventional three-point play (76-72 UR with 3:38 left).
Read followed her own miss (76-74 at 2:36), then drove and drew Deming's fifth foul; with 2:00 left. She made both free throws, tying the game at 76-76 with two minutes left.
Leslie's layup put Rochester ahead 25 seconds later. NYU got within one (80-79), but after a series of misses both ways, Foley had the ball following a timeout and was fouled. She made both free throws (80-77, 0:21). Ethington commited a foul and Pyatt cashed in two free throws (80-79).
The Violets fouled again, putting Foley back on the line with 13 seconds left. She made the first of two. Her miss was rebounded by Ethington (five boards, four offensive) and she got it to Atkinson who made two free throws with eight seconds left. NYU's final three-point try missed.
NYU closed the first half on a 10-0 run over the last 2:38 to take a 39-34 lead at the half. Read was the instigator, scoring five of the 10.
Rochester took advantage of an NYU cold streak early in the second quarter and stretched a two-point first quarter lead (19-17) to seven points. Atkinson sank a three-pointer, Leslie made a layup, Jillian Silvestri scored on a putback, Deming hit a jumper outside the lane, and Gillian Mair drove for a layup. That put UR up, 30-23, with 5:40 left in the second quarter.
The Violets started to find a rhythm. NYU outscored UR 16-4 in the last five minutes plus of the second half. With Rochester ahead, 34-29, after another Leslie layup at 2:47, Read made two free throws, then Pyatt drained a three to tie it with 2:02 left. Read sank one of two from the line to put NYU back in front, then made a layup. Janae Cuffee's jumper in the lane sent the teams into the locker room with NYU ahead, 39-34.
Rochester commited 12 first half turnovers leading to 13 points for NYU. For the game, the Yellowjackets had 23 turnovers, leading to 29 NYU points.