NYU Women’s Basketball Defend National Title, Men Come up Just Short

By Anthony Paradiso

Right here in the Village, the New York University (NYU) Violets women’s and men’s basketball teams have made names for themselves.

Both teams made it to the NCAA Division III National Championship game and the women repeated as national champions. They finished their season on an amazing 62-game win streak, capped off by a 77-49 blowout win over Smith College. Meanwhile, the men came up just short, losing 64-60 to Trinity College.

How did each team accomplish their feats? NYU women’s basketball went 31-0 this season and averaged 87.9 points per game while their opponents averaged 50.6 points against them. The Lady Violets were led in scoring and rebounding by graduate student forward Natalie Bruns who averaged 17.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Their second leading scorer was senior Belle Pellecchia who averaged 14.6 points per game.

NYU’s dynamic duo of Bruns and Pellecchia excelled in the championship game. Bruns had a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Pellecchia contributed a game high 18 points.

The NYU men’s basketball team came just shy of going undefeated this season as they went 29-2. Their only losses came against Emory University on January 17 and in the NCAA Division III national championship game.

The Violets averaged 80.9 points per game and opponents averaged just 63.4 points per game against them this season. Leading the NYU men’s basketball team in scoring was graduate student forward Tristan How with 14.8 points per game. Their second leading scorer was graduate student guard/forward Brock Susko who averaged 12.7 points per game. Close behind Susko was senior guard, Zay Freeney who averaged 12.1 points per game and contributed 70 assists.

In addition to the women’s basketball team repeating as champions, the NYU men’s basketball team made some history as well. They won the University Athletic Association (UAA) conference championship for the first time in program history, finished with the most single-season wins in program history, and made it to the Final Four and national championship game for the first time since 1994.

At the press conference held after his team’s loss in the national championship game, NYU men’s basketball head coach Dave Klatsky spoke about his team’s accomplishments this season.

“These guys, these three and the rest of the team in the locker room they’re winners, they’re absolute winners…They’re phenomenal individuals, they’re phenomenal basketball players and at the end of the day we got second place, which right now really hurts because we were inches away from getting first place, but what a season. I don’t know what we were ranked in the preseason but I don’t think anybody had us in Fort Wayne at the beginning of the year so just to watch the progress of these guys…we’re all super disappointed but I’m so proud of these guys.”

At the same press conference, NYU men’s basketball senior Zay Freeney spoke about his journey from growing up in Arizona to playing basketball at NYU.

“It’s been an honor to be here at NYU [for] four years. You know, I’ve seen all sides of college basketball here, from losing seasons to appearing in the national championship game. It’s been a true honor to represent the greatest university in the world…coming from Phoenix, Arizona to the east coast was something that was a big stepping stone for me in my life and I feel like I made the most of it. It’s made me into a man being able to live in New York City and attend such a great school and I have no words to describe how great it’s been. It’s truly been an honor.”

At the press conference held after the NYU women’s basketball team’s victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament, head coach Meg Barber discussed the impact that the success of her program is having on women’s basketball culture.

“On the coaching side, New York City is basketball and hoops culture, but to be a small part of that and to have the New York media recognizing women’s basketball at NYU when there’s all these other phenomenal sports stories going on, feels like we’re part of the women’s basketball movement that’s happening and we’re part of the media movement that’s happening and these guys have such an incredible story to tell, but more importantly to me they are the best representatives of NYU athletics, NYU women’s basketball and I just couldn’t be prouder that cameras are finally following people like this.”

After winning the national championship game, Barber had this to say about her senior class. “We have an incredible group of seniors who are moving on, so our team will look very different as the streak continues next year. This program is forever changed because of this class. It is historic. It’s GOAT-level. Belle, Natalie, Chloe Teter and Mary Kate Fahey are the reason that we are in this position and I couldn’t be a prouder coach.”