Basket at 0:07 Lifts Hartford Over Women Cagers, 62-61

Hartford junior Mary Jane Besselink came away with more than the ball during the scramble underneath the Harvard women's basketball team's basket in the closing seconds of Wednesday's Hartford-Harvard game.

Besselink emerged with the winning basket.

After pulling down the loose ball, the junior connected on a hook shot with seven seconds to play, as Hartford downed the Crimson, 62-61.

Harvard's Maura Healey tried a last-gasp shot in the game's final moments, but the shot bounced helplessly off the backboard.

Besselink's basket ended Harvard's heroic come-from-behind 9-3 run, which saw the Crimson take its first lead, 61-60, in 11 minutes with a half-minute to play.

But Besselink was just too much. She tallied 18 points on the night, and teammate Lana Thomas collected 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Unfortunately for the Crimson, Harvard (1-2 overall) was unable to cash in on junior Erin Maher's first-rate effort, as she led all scorers with 21 points. Maher continued her dominance from behind the three-point are, pouring in four three-point field goals.

Healey and junior Debbie Flandermeyer also put forth strong games, each tallying 11 points.

But Harvard's inability to control the offensive boards proved the Crimson's undoing. The Lady Hawks (3-2 overall) snagged 21 offensive rebounds and held Harvard to just seven, one-third Hartford's total.

It was an especially close game, and no doubt a frustrating loss.

The teams exchanged leads 12 times in the contest, and neither Harvard or Hartford ever led by more than seven points.

THE NOTEBOOK: Scoring was certainly not a problem for either team Wednesday night. Harvard shot 61 percent, Hartford 62...The Crimson certainly held the upperhand when it came to three-pointers. Harvard netted eight treys on 14 attempts...Hartford's next game is Saturday against Massachusetts...Harvard will spend the weekend at the Providence Tournament, competing against Bowling Green, Fordham and host Providence.