Can Cagers Make It Four Straight?

For those still wondering whether of hot It was a mistake, take notice one more time.

It's true. The oft-maligned Harvard women's basketball team is a splendid 3-0.

Now for those who might wonder why that's such a big deal, consider that during the entire 1983-84 season, the Crimson's women cagers won only three games all year.

That was while the club was dropping a team-record 22 losses and while discord ran rampant every time the Harvard squad stepped on the court.

But all of a sudden, third-year Coach Kathy Delaney Smith has her troops off to their best start since 1976, and when the squad travels to the University of Vermont tonight for its first away contest of the year. Harvard will be looking to become only the second team in Crimson women's hoop history to open up 4-0.

If you're wondering what's accounted for the dramatic turnaround, don't feel lonely.

I am too.

Perhaps the biggest reason has been defense. The Crimson has spent most of the year in a tightly-packed 2-3 zone, forcing its opponents to settle for long outside shots. Not too coincidentally, the Crimson's early-season opponents have made less than a third of their shots from the field.

Rebounding all those misses has proved difficult for the Cantabs, who have allowed their opponents 47 offensive rebounds--a fact that has led to more than 40 second-chance points.

This flaw has yet to prove fatal, although a poor box-out job last week did give Brooklyn College a futile final shot in regulation.

What's more, the 1984-85 Harvard squad features seven Yardling including starters Sharon Hayes and Barb Keffer.

Hayes, who has averaged 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, is the team's best pure shooter. Her 18-point first-half performance (on 9-11 shooting) against Brooklyn College was enough to scare any opposing coach or player, and hinted of a sizzling future.

Keffer, the starting point-guard, has averaged over 33 minutes a game, leads the team in assists, and has been unflappable at the team's helm. Keffer has also shown the ability to drive down the lane, though she's seemed reluctant to do so.

Of the remaining five frosh, Beth Chandler, who sports a deadly eight-foot jumper, and Nancy Cibotti have made the biggest contributions.

The combination of "talented freshman and some seasoned players," says Delaney Smith, "is giving us confidnece I haven't seen before at Harvard."

And perhaps no one has shown more confidence than Anna Collins. The junior co-captain, thrust into an early leadership role because of an injury to senior Co-Captain Wendy Joseph, has been nothing short of spectacular.

She has averaged 15 points and 15 rebounds a contest thus far and has shot an impressive 48.6 percent from the floor. Just as importantly, she has been a calming influence to the freshmen.

All this has led to an extreme amount of optimism as the hoisters hit the road for the first time this year for the showdown tonight at the University of Vermont.

The Catamounts (1-1 this year) are coming off a disappointing 6-20 season in 1983-84, but have taken "a giant step forward," says Delaney Smith.

UVM features star-guard Cindy Malinowsky and a lot of freshmen (sound familiar?). Vermont is "in the same place in their program that we are," adds Delaney Smith.

The difference between the squads, reports Delaney Smith, is the Harvard bench.

"We're deeper than they are," she boasts, adding that the Crimson's strategy will be to "wear them down."

As for the end result, Delaney Smith is optimistic. "If we're anywhere near on, I expect we'll win the ball game."

Four straight?

I wonder when playoff tickets go on sale.