Senior Michael DeCorso scored nine of NYU's first 15 points, connected on his first three three-point attempts. He opened the game with a long triple, and hit his third from the top of the key for a 15-12 Violets lead. New York started the game hitting seven of its first eight shot attempts.
Nading, though, responded with 11 first-half points and some strong defense. He disrupted NYU's offense in the middle of the first half, corralling four steals to help WU improve to 16-1 overall and 7-0 in University Athletic Association (UAA) play.
Senior Matt Basford found the touch late in the half when he hit back-to-back treys to give NYU (14-4, 3-4 UAA) a 36-27 lead. He finished the period with eight points on 3-of-3 shooting, helping the Violets to a 14-for-25 performance from the field. Junior Troy Ruths rounded out the scoring with a three-point play to trim the Bears' deficit to six points (36-30) at the half. Ruths had seven points in the frame, though the Red and Green shot just 40.7 percent from the field.
DeCorso broke free and received a pass in the right corner, where he knocked down his fourth trey to start the second half. Senior Jason Boone used a spin move in the post to put NYU up 41-30. Boone then gave his team a 13-point lead at 45-32 after scoring consecutive buckets in the paint.
Sophomore Sean Wallis led the Bears back with a baseline 12-foot jumper and a pull-up bank shot in the lane. Wallis, who finished with a career-best 26 points, then found senior Nick Nikitas in the right corner in transition for an 18-footer the drew WU within 45-38 and forced a Violets timeout.
After the break, the Bears continued to chip away at the Violets' lead. NYU led 56-45 when WU went on a 7-0 run. Wallis hit two free throws, and Nading sunk three foul shots and followed with a 15-foot jumper off an inbounds pass to bring the Red and Green within four points (56-52).
DeCorso hit again from downtown to give NYU a seven-point lead, but Wallis countered with a trey of his own seconds later. Nading knocked down two free throws to make it 65-61 with a minute left in regulation, and the Bears forced the Violets to throw the ball away on their next possession. Ruths was fouled in the post and he hit the first of two shots. He missed the second but Nading was there again for the offensive rebound, and WU called for time with 30 seconds left on the clock.
Nading drove baseline but the ball was knocked out of bounds by Boone. On the ensuing inbounds play, Nading received a pass at the left wing and drained a triple to knot the game at 65-65 with 16.4 seconds remaining. Junior Michael Magee had a contested three at the buzzer that fell short.
In overtime, Nading gave WU its first lead since the 17:13 mark of the first half with two free throws. He added two more for a 69-65 lead with 3:56 remaining in overtime. Basford hit another three-pointer to cut Washington U.'s lead to 71-68, and Magee hit two free throws to make it 75-72 with 22 seconds left. Freshman Matt Wilson hit a three-pointer to draw NYU within two points (77-75) with 7.2 seconds left in OT, and the Bears whistled for time. Ruths sunk two foul shots for a four-point cushion that was trimmed to one at the buzzer courtesy of NYU's 12 th and final three-pointer.
Wallis (15-of-16) and Nading (13-of-16) helped the Bears shoot 38-of-45 at the free-throw line. DeCorso paced New York with 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting, including five treys. Boone added 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Washington U. returns to action at 8 p.m. (ET) Friday, Feb. 2, at NYU in New York City.