MANHATTAN, N.Y.—William Smith College sophomore Gabrielle Eure produced game-highs of 18 points and 12 rebounds against top-ranked Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham but the Devils never trailed in their 88-64 win in the NYU Women's Basketball Holiday Classic tonight. The defending national champions picked up their 44th consecutive win, making a tournament record tying 11 3-pointers.
 
FDU-Florham (11-0) had three players finished in double figures led by Alyssa McDonough's 17 points and game-high seven assists. Shalette Brown chipped in 15 points and a game-high five steals. Leigh-Ann Lively led the long-range barrage with four 3-pointers on her way to a 14-point night.
 
Lively opened the game's scoring with a triple, but senior Chloe Hayter forged the only tie of the night with a 3-pointer at the other end of the floor. Hayter was the only other Heron to reach double figures, logging 11 points and five boards.
 
A 20-6 run that included three more 3-pointers extended the Devils' lead to 23-9 with 11:52 remaining in the first half.
 
William Smith (1-6) got within nine twice over the next three minutes—the last time on a layup by senior Ali Pliszka with 8:31 to go—but the Devils scored 11 of the next 13 points to push their lead back into double digits for good.
 
FDU-Florham broke the tournament record for points in a half, carrying a 54-30 lead into the locker room. Brown led all scorers at the break with nine points. The Devils were 7-of-17 from behind the 3-point arc in the first 20 minutes and converted 17 Heron turnovers into 19 points.
 
William Smith played FDU-Florham even in the second half (34-34), shot 44 percent from the floor on the night, and had a 46-38 rebounding advantage, but couldn't overcome its first half deficit.
 
The Herons will be back in action on Sunday, Jan. 4, when they take on the host Violets in the classic finale. NYU is 9-0 and ranked No. 9 in the D3hoops.com poll.