Violets beat Stevens in ECAC final

With 36 seconds left in the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament on Sunday, the NYU women's basketball team was down two points to the Stevens Institute of Technology. Senior Grace Carmen knew what was coming next.

Senior guard Jen Hum-Traverso had the ball on the wing for the Violets and hoisted a long three.
"The second it left her hands you knew she was going to hit it," Carmen said.

Hum-Traverso's three gave the Violets (16-12) a one point lead. They held on for a 54-51 victory to take the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament Championship.

"I gave it all four years of my experience and everything we have ever overcome as a team. I put that all into my last shot," Hum-Traverso said.

"Jen's three at the end was almost like a movie," head coach Stefano Trompeo said. "It couldn't have ended any better."

This was the seventh ECAC Metro Tournament title for NYU and the first since 2005.

The Violets led for most of the second half, but a three from Stevens guard Sarah Gehring with just under a minute left gave the Ducks the temporary advantage.

After Hum-Traverso answered with what proved to be the game winning shot, the Violets stopped the Ducks on defense and the senior calmly made two free throws to extend the lead to three.

Kathleen Schuckers tried to answer with a three to tie the game for the Ducks, but her attempt fell short as time expired, clinching the Violets championship.

Hum-Traverso led the Violets in scoring with 14. Carmen, who added 13 points and nine rebounds, was named the tournaments' most outstanding player.

"I think it could have gone to five different players. They had to pick someone, I guess, but I'm honored it was me," she said.

Junior Bianca Storts followed up a 16-point effort Saturday in the semifinals against Drew University with 11 points on Sunday off the bench.
Storts was 3-6 from beyond the arc and more importantly, three out of her four goals from the field came in response to a Stevens basket.

"She has always had that killer mentality about her," Trompeo said. "She is such a great athlete that she has the ability to dominate."

Though the Violets will lose three seniors this spring, several key contributors will likely return on next year's squad, which may bring NYU back to the NCAA Tournament.

For now, however, the Violets can celebrate the ECAC victory.

"This was just a great ending to the season. Especially for our seniors," Trompeo said.