NEW YORK—The William Smith College basketball team emerged undefeated from the New York University Tipoff Classic thanks to a 73-64 win over the host Violets this afternoon. Junior guard Natalia Baum led the Herons with a career-high 20 points and a game-high four steals.
 
Baum, who was named to the All-Classic Team, was 5-of-10 shooting with a 3-pointer and 9-of-14 at the free throw line. Junior forward Mia Morrison posted her second straight double-double on 11 points and a game-high 10 boards. She also earned All-Classic honors. Sophomore guard Emma Gallagher added 10 points for the Herons.
 
NYU got a game-high 24 points from Kaitlyn Read and Kayla Peterson chipped in 16 points.
 
The Violets (1-1) jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but William Smith countered with a 10-4 run that gave the visitors a one point lead heading into the second quarter. NYU briefly took a 25-24 lead on a 3-pointer by Read with about two minutes remaining in the half, but Baum scored the next four points for the Herons and six of the final eight points of the half, giving William Smith a 30-27 halftime lead.
 
In the third quarter, the Herons were able to hang onto a tenuous lead until Peterson's layup about four minutes in tied the game at 37. William Smith responded to the threat with 11 straight points. Five different players contributed to the run, including junior guard Olivia Hughes' traditional 3-point play.
 
Read snapped NYU's nearly four-minute scoring draught, but Baum answered with a layup of her own and Hughes made a steal and drained a 3-pointer for a 14-point lead. Peterson and Read made layups to get the Violets within 10 heading into the fourth quarter.
 
A 9-2 run to start the fourth quarter gave William Smith its largest lead of the game. Baum's layup with just over six minutes remaining put the Herons up 62-44. Over the next four minutes, NYU was able to whittle its deficit down to five, but William Smith shot 10-of-14 from the free throw line down the stretch to secure the victory.
 
The Herons improved to 2-0 for the first time since the opening the 2008-09 season with back-to-back wins.
 
William Smith will play its home opener on Tuesday, Nov. 21, when the Herons take on the University of Rochester at 6 p.m. in Bristol Gym. The game will be broadcast live on WHWS-FM (105.7). Fans can also follow the game online with All-Access video and Live Stats.