WALTHAM, Mass. – NYU senior Kayla Patterson hit a jumper with 1.4 seconds left in regulation today as the Violets rallied to defeat host Brandeis University, 54-53, in the final regular-season home game of the season for the Judges. The Judges close their season with a 12-12 record, 4-10 in the University Athletic Association, while the Violets improve to 15-10, 8-6 in the conference. Both teams will wait to see if they receive ECAC Division III Tournament berths.
The first half was a defensive affair, with the teams combining for just 13 points in the first quarter as the Judges owned an 8-5 lead. NYU answered with a 16-10 edge in the second period to take a 21-18 lead into the locker room. The Violets opened the third period with a 7-4 run and the visitors were ahead, 31-24, with just under four minutes to go in the quarter on a Mikaela Pyatt jumper, their largest lead of the game.
The Judges answered with the next eight points of the game thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by rookies Katherine Puda (Whitinsville, Mass./Worcester Academy) and Camila Casanueva (Santa Barbara, Calif./Dos Pueblos), the latter giving Brandeis a 32-31 lead with 2:31 to go in the third. The teams traded the lead two more times in the final stretch before Brandeis sophomore Hannah Nicholson (Sunderland, Vt./Burr and Burton Acad.) hit two free throws to give Brandeis a 36-34 lead headed into the final 10 minutes.
NYU opened the fourth quarter with a burst, a 9-2 run behind three Patterson buckets, to take a 43-38 lead midway through the stanza. Brandeis answered with an 8-2 run of their own, with all eight points coming from seniors Noel Hodges (Southampton, N.Y./Southampton) and Eva Hart (Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan). Hodges' three-point play at the 3:39 mark gave Brandeis a 46-45 lead.
The Judges were able to build their lead to four with 2:41 to go, thanks to grabbing a handful of offensive rebounds, but they came at the expense of missed free throws, keeping the Judges from pulling away. NYU was able to get within one a few times in the final two minutes, but Brandeis answered on lay-ups by Puda and Hart, the last coming with 1:13 to go and giving the hosts a 53-50 lead.
On the next possession, NYU missed their first shot, but Patterson put back the miss with 34 seconds to go, getting the Violets within one at 53-52. On Brandeis's next possession, NYU was able to get a defensive stop, forcing a desperation shot as the shot clock expired. NYU got the ball back around six seconds to go, and ran up a play that got Patterson open for the game-winning shot and giving Violet head coach Lauren Hall-Gregory her 100th career win.
For the game, Hodges was the only Brandeis player to score in double figures, netting seven of her 10 in the fourth period. Puda added nine points off the bench, while Hart and Casanueva each had seven points. Junior Joelle MarkAnthony (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) had a game-high 10 rebounds, while Hodges and junior Sarah Jaromin (E. Greenbush, N.Y./Columbia) each had two assists.
NYU was led by Patterson, who scored 11 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter. She also led the Violets with nine rebounds. Graduate student Kaitlyn Read added 10 points and had a terrific all-around game with seven rebounds and game-highs of five assists and four steals.
Before the game, Brandeis honored its two seniors, Noel Hodges and Eva Hart, who played in their final regular-season home game.