NEW YORK – Gallaudet University came to play here Friday night as a quick start put the defending national champions on their heels in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Division III women's basketball championship. The Bison became the first team to lead top-ranked New York University for the longest time this season and by the biggest margin.
The host Violets righted the ship and won the quick up-and-down game by the score of 102-62 before a crowd of 705 in the John A. Paulson Center in Manhattan. The victory extends the nation's best win streak to 57 straight.
"Great job by NYU for battling with us the entire game. I am always impressed with their program. It was an incredible challenge for us tonight. We did the best we could against them," said Gallaudet coach
Stephanie Stevens in her 12th season.
Gallaudet (18-11) stormed out to a quick 6-0 lead in the opening minute as NYU (26-0) turned the ball over, missed three shots and was down in a blink of an eye.
The six-point deficit was the largest NYU faced all season as GU became only the fourth team to hold a lead over the Violets in a game during the 2024-25 campaign.
"We did come out with the six-point lead in the first quarter. We had some quick baskets. NYU had to drop back from its press because they were struggling with us," signed Stevens during the postgame press conference. "Our game plan was really to push the ball as fast as we could, as much as we could. They did struggle with us, so we are proud of that moment."
Senior center
Alexis Roberts (Newton, Miss.) drained her third 3-pointer of the season at the 8:06 mark in the first quarter as GU led 9-4.
The Bison turned the ball over three times after it jumped out to a quick six-point lead. That opened the door for the deep and tall NYU team to get back into the game.
"It felt like a welcome to the NCAA tournament moment when the game started," said NYU coach Meg Barber. "Gallaudet came out and played tremendously strong. They really brought so much effort."
NYU's Jamie Behar made a layup in the paint at 7:04 as the Violets took their first lead of the game, 10-9. GU senior guard
Raj Guettler (Frederick, Md.) made a basket to give GU a brief 11-10 lead. The one-point margin lasted 18 seconds before reigning WBCA Division III Player of the Year Natalie Bruns made her second basket of the game.
Gallaudet sophomore guard/forward
Cam Lexow (Abington, Pa.) made a pull-up jumper as the Bison trailed 18-13 with 4:42 left in the opening quarter. After a Bruns 3-pointer, Lexow responded with her own long-distance shot as GU stayed within five points, 21-16.
The Violets shook off the slow start and gained control of the game by using their press to pester the Bison and hit shot after shot from outside and down low.
The first quarter saw 56 points scored as NYU led 34-22. GU made three blocks in the opening quarter against a squad that has nine players listed over six feet on the roster compared to only one for GU this evening.
The 22 points surrendered by the Violets in the first quarter was the second most this season. GU led for three minutes and two seconds over powerhouse NYU. The previous longest leads over NYU this season includes 2:21 by Case Western Reserve University, 53 seconds by University of Rochester and 29 seconds by Brandeis University. All three teams are conference foes in the University Athletic Association (UAA).
GU tried to stick around in the second quarter as the buff and blue stayed within striking distance. Guettler made a quick layup off an assist from Lexow as Gallaudet was within 10 points, 34-24 at the 9:33 mark. GU cut NYU's advantage to 13 points, five different times in a four-minute stretch. Senior guard
Claire Ruiz-Tucker (Middletown, Md.) made a 3-pointer as GU trailed 46-33. Minutes later, Guettler made a layup and got fouled in the process but missed the free throw attempt as the Bison were down, 48-35.
Unfortunately, that was the last point for Gallaudet in the second quarter. The Violets scored 12 straight and led 60-35 at the half.
The Bison were outscored 25-10 in the third quarter as GU missed shots and couldn't get into a rhythm.
The two teams played even in the fourth quarter as each team scored 17 points each. Senior guard
Sunita Schmidjorg (Austin, Texas) made a 3-pointer at the 7:43 mark as GU trailed by 35 points, 87-52.
"I am proud of the entire team. Everyone did not give up the entire game. We stuck with it," said Lexow. "Our energy was up. Everyone was on the same page, everyone wanted to win and to keep fighting. I am so proud of that."
The 62 points scored on NYU is tied for the third most this season. The most points the Violets have allowed during the 2024-25 campaign is 68.
This is the eighth time this season NYU reached the 100-point plateau.
Lexow led the team with 20 points, four assists, two steals and one block in front of family and friends which included her brother, Bryce, who attends NYU and is a senior member of the Violet men's soccer program.
"It was crazy to play here because my brother is a current NYU student and plays on the men's soccer team. So, before the game, he was asking me if I had a Gallaudet shirt for him to wear. He had to support Gallaudet this evening. He did sit on the Gallaudet side," quipped Lexow with a smile.
Guettler tallied 16 points, six boards, four assists and two steals in her final game in a Bison uniform. Guettler concludes her career with 1,026 points.
Roberts recorded nine points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals while junior center
Hannah Puent (Indianapolis, Ind.) chipped in four points a team-high nine rebounds.
Gallaudet turned the ball over a season worst 32 times which led to 41 points for NYU.
NYU had five players in double figures led by Bruns with 18 points, seven assists, three rebounds, three steals and one block. The Violets only made two blocks in the game compared to five made by the Bison.
NYU will face Trinity (Conn.) College (19-8) tomorrow (Saturday, March 8) at 7:30 p.m. in the second round. The Bantams rallied to defeat No. 23 ranked UMass Dartmouth (23-5) with a Samantha Slofkiss (six points, nine rebounds) layup with three seconds left to win, 59-56.
For Gallaudet this concludes a special season where the Bison got off to a slow start, won eight straight and changed the direction of their season. The Bison set a team goal to win the United East conference championship, and they accomplished that in dramatic fashion.
"This is really the best team I've ever played with. The fact that we accomplished our goal is the best feeling ever. You can't replace that feeling and how that game ended," said Puent. "We made the Gallaudet community so proud. Everyone was so proud of us. At the end of the day, it is about the community."
It was that community that showed up to support this team in-person in different arenas or tuned in online to watch the live video streams. A key part of that community aside from family and friends are the former Bison women's basketball players and coaches that helped to build this program.
"This season was really special. Our fans won with us on this journey. It's very near and dear to my heart. It's a great feeling," said Stevens. "This season wasn't just about our seven seniors and the players on this team, but it was also about the past and the players and coaches that have come before us."
BISON TRACKS
- GU scored 36 of its 62 points in the paint
- The fast-paced game ended at 9:05 p.m. as it lasted for one hour and 35 minutes
- The 18 wins are the most in a season for Coach Stevens
- GU's 18 wins are the most since the Bison went 24-4 in 2010-11 which was the last time they made a NCAA tournament appearance
- This was Gallaudet's first appearance against the Violets since the 1998-99 season
- GU is now 0-3 all-time against NYU
UP NEXT
This concludes the 2024-25 Gallaudet University women's basketball season.
2025 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship
