The University of Rochester women's basketball team played host to top-ranked NYU on Sunday afternoon in the Louis Alexander Palestra, with the visiting Violets coming away with an 87-58 victory in a University Athletic Association matchup.
 
NYU (22-0, 11-0 UAA) extends its program winning streak to 53 games, as the Violets went 31-0 last season, en route to a national title, and remain unbeaten in 2024-25. Rochester's loss drops the Yellowjackets to 11-11 overall on the year and 4-7 in conference play.
 
UR opened the scoring on Sunday with a Tia Poulakidas 3-pointer, but the Violets quickly answered at the other end with a Jamie Behar triple, knotting up the contest.
 
Poulakidas hit a floater in the lane to once again give Rochester the lead, but that was the last advantage for the Yellowjackets, as Belle Pellecchia nailed another 3-pointer for NYU to put the Violets up 6-5.
 
Another Behar triple built on the NYU lead and the visiting Violets were off to the races. A strong first quarter for NYU ending with the score sitting at 26-13.
 
In the second, the NYU lead hit 15 points after a Natalie Bruns jumper at the 4:35 mark, but a 6-0 spurt from Rochester cut the lead back down to single digits. Erin Lillis hit a driving layup, while Abby Gress added two baskets in the run for Rochester.
 
In the final 77 seconds of the half though, NYU got layups from Bruns and Caroline Peper to head into halftime up 38-25.
 
NYU pulled away in the third quarter, shooting 61-percent, while making 5-of-8 three's, leading to a 33-14 advantage over the ten minutes, putting the game away.
 
Rochester outscored NYU 19-16 in the final quarter, thanks in part to a game-best 47% from the field during that stretch. Eight different players for UR scored in the final ten minutes, led by Gress' four points and three each from Annelise Dexter and Allison Dauer.
 
For the game the Yellowjackets struggled shooting the 3-ball, making just 2-of-18 attempts (11%), with both makes by Poulakidas. Overall, Rochester ended at 35.5% (22-62) from the field, compared to an NYU mark of 47.3% (35-74). The Violets also were efficient from distance, making 42% (10-24) of their shot attempts.
 
Poulakidas finished as UR's leading scorer with 15 points, also securing five rebounds. Gress added 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals, while Lillis ended with 7 points. Grace Corelli chipped in six points off the bench for UR.
 
NYU's Bruns led all players with 19 points, adding 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Behar had 16 points and seven boards, including making four 3-pointers. Peper chipped in 13 points, while Pellecchia had a solid all-around effort with 12 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals.
 
The Violets outrebounded Rochester 47 to 33 on the day, including grabbing 16 offensive boards leading to 20 second chance points.
 
UR with next head on its final road trip of the season, playing at Washington-St. Louis and Chicago next Friday and Sunday, respectively. The Yellowjackets home finale, and Senior Day, will take place on Saturday, March 1.