Long winning streaks in college basketball are supposed to be the domain of powerhouse programs with national TV contracts and blue-chip recruits. They’re the kind of feats usually attached to legendary Division I dynasties. On Sunday, a program far outside that spotlight forced its way into that conversation anyway.

Inside a packed Madison Square Garden, a Division III women’s basketball team extended a run so dominant that it now stands alone in NCAA history—surpassing a record that had lasted more than two decades. What unfolded wasn’t just another victory. The NYU Violets officially set a new Division III benchmark by capturing their 82nd consecutive win, eclipsing the long-standing mark of 81 set by Washington University of St. Louis from 1998 to 2001.

The record-setting triumph came in a 69–58 win over Carnegie Mellon, powered by a 27-point performance from Caroline Peper, whose late three-pointer helped seal the milestone moment. ESPNW captured the anticipation earlier in the week, posting on Instagram: “The NYU Violets have TIED the D-III record for MOST consecutive wins. They have a chance to break that record this Sunday.” By the final buzzer, the chance had turned into history.

The win meant more than just numbers. Just a week before, Carnegie Mellon had come within one point of NYU, the closest any team had come to beating the Violets during this run. This season, no other opponent had come within 12 points.

Only three teams lost by single digits during the whole streak: UChicago by six, Whittier by eight, and Case Western Reserve by eight. This shows how consistently NYU has beaten all of its opponents and levels of competition over the course of 82 straight wins.

Coach Meg Barber was honest about how important it was to reach the milestone. “I would say a sigh of relief,” Barber said of setting the record. “Hopefully this quiets the outside noise, lets us get back to our main goals (of winning another national championship).”

NYU isn’t going to stop at 82 wins in a row. The Violets are 20-0 and trying to win their fifth straight UAA title and third straight national title. The only player who has lost a game here is Caroline Peper. That was the 2023 Elite Eight loss to Transylvania. That memory keeps them going. Records are nice, but winning championships is what counts.

NYU knows that UConn’s 111-game NCAA record is the absolute gold standard, even though they have won 82 games in a row. The Huskies also have the second-longest streak, which is 90 games. This shows that Division I competition is on a different level.

UConn women’s basketball dominates while NYU pursues a championship

NYU is celebrating its long winning streak, but UConn just showed what a real dynasty looks like. The Huskies beat Butler 80–48 on Saturday, and they did it without two of their top three scorers. Sarah Strong was taking a break.

Blanca Quiñonez was out because she hurt her shoulder. But UConn hardly slowed down. This is the difference between the best Division I teams and the rest.

The Huskies possess greater player depth than most teams can perceive. Azzi Fudd led the way with 17 points, and Shade, Williams, and Ziebell each scored 11. The entire starting lineup scored in double digits. Arnold scored 10 more. All players who participated in the game scored. Ziebell made her first career start and recorded a personal-best four steals.

That’s the kind of performance that shows why UConn holds the record for the most consecutive wins that Division III teams can’t match.

Butler actually got off to a good start, making four of their first six shots, including two threes. Then they were gone. The Bulldogs didn’t make four more baskets for almost 18 minutes. Fudd took control in the second quarter, scoring eight in a row to start a 12-0 run. It’s over. UConn was so much better that they were up 25 at halftime and 32 at the end.

Overall, UConn went 25-0 and 14-0 in Big East games. That’s how it is in elite Division I basketball. In Division III, NYU has won 82 games in a row. UConn has the money, depth, and skill to keep winning streaks that seem impossible to break—two different levels of the game.