Brown Edges Cagers; Crimson Pushes Champs

"We felt like we had won."

That's what Harvard women's basketball Coach Kathy Delaney Smith had to say after Brown edged out the Crimson, 69-67 Saturday night before 1.622 fans at Marvel Gym in Providence.

Was Delaney Smith suffering from a case of over enthusiasm. Not after this game.

Playing against the Ivy League leading Bruins (who had won their previous league contests by an average of 20 points). Harvard performed superbly, outplaying the hosts for most of the way before finally succumbing by two points.

"It was one of the best ballgames that I have seen or been part of for a number of years," said Delaney Smith, whose squad dropped to 7.11 (1.5 Ivies) the weekend.

It was also a sparking team effort by the cages who had struggled Friday in a 27-point loss tom then last-place Yale.

Delancy Smith wouldn't point to any particular Crimson players as keys to the fine performance. "I shouldn't pick out players because I think all 12 players were involved in the level of play we had," she said.

But the cager who shined the brightest was Barb Keffer.

The freshman point guard led the Crimson in scoring for the second consecutive night, pouring in a career high 18-points.

Additionally, she handed out seven assists to give her 95 on the year, shattering the old Harvard team record of 93 (last year's Crimson assist leader only had 55).

But Keffer's heroics were not limited to the offensive end. Keffer held Brown's point guard Kerry Kelley, who leads the Ivies in assists and is among the leaders in points, to only four points and five assists.

"Barb set herself a goal of shutting [Kelley] down." Delaney Smith said. She added that Keffer's overall effort was "absolutely great."

Harvard held the lead for most of this battle. Shooting 57 percent from the floor, the Crimson led for the entire first half and went into halftime with a 36-32 edge.

Early second half action was similar, with Harvard staying ahead but unable to stretch its lead to more.

With eight minutes left in the contest. Brown made its move. Despite shooting only 25 percent from the floor in the second half, the hosts forged ahead due to great free throw shooting.

Showcasing one of the top team free throw percentages in the country, the Bruins outscored Harvard, 15.3 from the charity stripe in the second half and grabbed the lead with six minutes to play.

Brown lead by a single point with less than two minutes toplay when the hosts took a wild shot. The long rebound cluded the Crimson under the boards and bounded to Bruin Christa Champion. She laid the ball into the basket, giving Brown a three point margin it never relinquished.

Harvard continued to battle hard, but the team's lack of experience took its toll. The Crimson forgot its set play at one crucial juncture while Brown along tenaciously to its lead.

The final two-point difference was as close as the Cantabs got after Champion's Key hoop.

Co-Captain Anna Collins (15 points on 7-11 shooting) and Trisha Brown (12 pointer) joined Keffer in double figures for Harvard.

Brown was led as usual, by its one two punch of Michelle Smith and Donna Yalle Smith the 1982-3 Ivy Player of the Year, led the Bruins with 27 points while Yaffe, last year's Player of the year, added 23.

But Delaney Smith wasn't upset about the loss I talked to some people in the stands and some people from Brown after the game," she said, "and they all agreed it way a shame that someone had to lose."

THE NOTEBOOK: The Crimson will once again try for its eighth victory of the season (which would be the most for the team in the past five years) when it plays at the University of New Hampshire tomorrow night...Harvard has now lost 17 road games in a row over the past two seasons.... The Crimson is 7-3 at some this season, but 0-8 on the road. Only three of its remaining night games this year are at home.

at Providence, R.I.

BROWN (69)--Katie Curits 1-1-3; Michelle Smith 9-5-23; Donna Yaffe 1-11-27; Christine Arbor 0-0-0; Carol Kosar 2-0-4; Christa Champion 4-0-8; Kerry Kelley 2-0-4; Totals 26-17-69.

HARVARD (67)--Barb Keffer 7-4-18; Erin Sugrue 0-0-0; Sharon Hayes 4-0-8; Trisha Brown 6-0-12; Anna Collins 7-1-15; Wendy Joseph 1-0-2; Nancy Cibotti 1-0-2; Beth Chandler 3-2-8; Kim Smith 0-0-0; Hanya Bluestone 1-0-2; Anne Kelly 0-0-0; Totals 30-1-67.

Halftime Harvard 36-32

Fouled Out--None. Total fouls--Harvard '9, Brown 12, Rebounds--Harvard 27 (Collins 7), Brown 43 (Smith 13). Assists--Harvard 12 (Keffer 7). Brown 10(Kelley 5).

Att: 1,622.