Second Quarter Run Leads Tartans Past #7 NYU, 70-57

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - The Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball team upended seventh-ranked New York University on Friday, February 5 at home by a 70-57 score. The Tartans are now 4-4 in University Athletic Association (UAA) play and 15-4 overall while the Violets fell for the second time this season and are 17-2 and 6-2.

The Tartans started with an 8-2 run prompting a timeout by New York. The timeout sparked the Violets, as they rattled off a 14-6 run to close the final five minutes of the period and lead 16-14 at the first break. Kaityln Read scored 10 of her 16 points for the Violets in the quarter.

NYU pushed their lead to 10 two minutes and 25 seconds into the second quarter with eight straight points culminating on a three-pointer by Amy Harioka.

The Tartans responded with a 12-2 run after their own timeout to tie the game at 26-26 with 3:12 to go in the half. The home team took back the lead on a three-pointer by freshman Jenn Mayberger (Chesterfield, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy). The final 6:32 of the second quarter saw a 19-3 run by the home team which gave the Tartans a 35-29 halftime lead.

Junior Jackie Hudepohl (Saratoga, Calif./Lynbrook (Colgate)) hit two shots and junior Lisa Murphy (McLean, Va./McLean) converted a layup to start the second half to push the Tartans lead to 12 points. The Violets answered with six straight but that was a close as they would come as the Tartans pushed their lead back to 11 by the final break.

A back-and-forth fourth quarter kept the Tartans lead no less than nine points as they went on for the 70-57 victory.

The Tartans shot 45.5% in the first half and 44.4% for the game while they held NYU to 36.2% from the floor for the game. The Tartans also recorded a season-low in turnovers at 12 while assisting on 16 of 28 made baskets.

Hudepohl led all scorers with 22 while she grabbed 11 rebounds for her third double-double of the season. Murphy shot 8-for-8 from the floor for 16 points and pulled down 14 rebounds for her league-leading 11th double-double. Senior Lindsay Poss (Poolesville, Md./Poolesville) poured in 16 points for her third straight game with at least 15. Mayberger dished out nine assists and now needs eight to become the Tartans' season record holder.

The Tartans continue action with a home game against Brandeis University at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, February 7.