Box Score Sophomore Hannah Lilly scored a game-high 21 points to lead three double-figure scorers in leading the Emory women's basketball team to a victory at New York University Friday evening. The Eagles evened their University Athletic Association record to 1-1 and in the process upped their overall record to 10-3 following an impressive 71-49 decision over the Violets who slipped to 9-4 (1-1 UAA).
Lilly ended the evening connecting on eight-of-16 from the floor, including four-of-nine from three-point range en route to her 12th double-digit scoring performance of the season and her fifth outing of 20 or more points. Her four three-pointers upped her streak to 18 consecutive games with at least one trey. Junior Misha Jackson picked up 12 points and five rebounds in the contest while senior Becca Feldman rounded out the squad's double-figure scorers with 10 points.
Emory finished its first league road game hitting 44.4 percent (28-of-63) of its field goal attempts including eight-of-19 from beyond the arc. With junior Danielle Landry grabbing a team-leading 10 rebounds, along with contributing nine points, the Eagles finished with a 36-27 edge on the glass. While the Violets finished with a better showing in field goal shooting, converting 45.7 percent (21-of-46), they were ineffective from three-point range, converting just one-of-nine opportunities. NYU was also hampered by 21 turnovers.
Emory led the entire first half in building a 33-21 edge at halftime. While Emory was outshot from the floor during the opening stanza, hitting 43.3 percent (13-of-30) compared to NYU's 47.6 percent (10-of-21), it was able to capitalize on 13 Violet turnovers in taking the double-figure edge at the break. Lilly paced Emory's scoring attack in the first stanza, picking up 11 points on four-of-nine field goal shooting including a pair of three-point field goals. Jackson added seven first-half points. After a bucket by NYU's Makenzie Hirz cut an Emory lead to 10-8, the Eagles rattled off 11 unanswered points over a 3:46 stretch to lay claim to a 21-8 cushion with 8:15 left. Feldman started the rally with a three-pointer with Lilly accounting for the next six points via a three-point play and a trey. Jackson closed out the run with a basket. NYU sliced the deficit to seven points after Tana Bertino sank a three pointer, but Emory quickly countered with a 7-0 spurt, capped by a trey by Savannah Morgan, in brandishing a 31-17 bulge with 1:37 left in the half.
After each team scored six of the second half's first 12 points, the Eagles blew the game wide open with a 9-0 blitz, with Lilly scoring four points in that run, to take a commanding 48-27 lead with 12:33 left in the game. Back-to-back triples by Lilly in a 49-second stretch allowed Emory to extend its lead to 23 points before an 11-2 barrage, keyed by seven points from senior Emily Hyncik, ballooned its margin to 65-37 with 6:26 remaining.
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Jan. 15) when it plays at Brandeis University in a 2:00 p.m. start.
