The New York University women’s basketball team began its NCAA Tournament campaign with a 108-44 win over the University of Maine at Farmington on Friday at the John A. Paulson Center in Manhattan. With this victory, NYU matched the NCAA men’s record for consecutive wins—88—previously set by the UCLA Bruins between 1971 and 1974.
Maine-Farmington finished its season with a 21-8 record after the loss.
NYU, now holding a 26-0 record for the season, took an early lead and maintained control throughout the game. The team led 25-12 after the first quarter and extended its advantage to 53-25 by halftime. By the end of the third quarter, NYU was ahead 80-34 and reached a lead of as many as 57 points in the fourth quarter. The game also marked NYU’s highest point total ever scored in an NCAA Tournament contest.
Head Coach Meg Barber commented on her team’s performance: “This was a complete team win. It was nice to see our bench getting a lot of time and getting the chance to represent NYU Basketball.”
Brooke Batchelor led NYU in scoring with 17 points. Caroline Peper added 15 points—all from three-point shots—and set a new program record with her 99th three-pointer of the season. “This was just a normal day for me, but I’m super excited to break the record and I couldn’t be prouder,” Peper said.
Yasmene Clark achieved a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Olivia Lagao contributed 10 points and recorded a career-high seven steals. Aizlyn Albanese also scored 10 points—a personal best—and Alexia Mousouroulis registered five assists, another career high.
Coach Barber addressed her team’s ongoing success: “The streak is great, but the NCAA Tournament is what we are really focusing on.”
NYU will host Messiah University next in the NCAA Second Round after Messiah’s recent win over SUNY Cortland. The matchup is scheduled for Saturday at 7:45 p.m. at Paulson Center.
