NYU Women's 91-Game Win Streak Snapped in DIII Final Four Loss to Scranton

NYU's historic 91-game winning streak, the second-longest in NCAA women's basketball history, ended Thursday night with a 60-52 loss to Scranton in the Division III Final Four semifinals in Virginia.

The NYU women's basketball team saw its historic 91-game winning streak come to a stunning end Thursday night, falling 60-52 to Scranton in the Division III Final Four semifinals at the Salem Civic Center in Virginia.

The back-to-back defending national champions entered the game 31-0, having not lost since March 11, 2023, when Transylvania defeated the Violets in the Elite Eight. The 91-game streak stands as the second-longest in NCAA women's basketball history, trailing only UConn's 111-game run from 2014-17.

NYU got off to a disastrous start, scoring just five points in the first quarter and trailing 30-18 at halftime. The Violets mounted a comeback in the third quarter, cutting the lead to three, but Scranton answered each run. Down 13 in the fourth, NYU pulled within 56-52 with 46 seconds left, but Scranton's Meghan Lamanna hit two free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

Caroline Peper, the team's lone senior and the only player who had experienced a loss in her college career, led NYU with 19 points. Yasmene Clark added 15 rebounds in the losing effort.

Scranton improved to 32-0 behind 18 points from Lamanna and a 14-point, 16-rebound double-double from Kaeli Romanowski. The Lady Royals, appearing in their 38th NCAA Tournament, outrebounded NYU 47-34 and held the Violets to 28% shooting.

NYU had been winning by an average of more than 35 points per game this season and set the Division III consecutive wins record on Feb. 8 with their 82nd straight victory, breaking the mark previously held by Washington University of St. Louis.

Scranton advances to Saturday's Division III national championship game, while NYU is left to reflect on a three-year run that produced two national titles and a place in NCAA history.

As NYU's historic 91-game winning streak comes to an end in the Final Four, The Silicon Review reflects on what this moment means for the Violets' legacy a three-year run that redefined excellence in Division III basketball and secured their place in NCAA history, even in defeat.