Goin' Bohlen: A Fan-tastic Game for W. Hoops

The members of the Harvard women's basketball team lingered around the court a bit longer after Friday's game against Dartmouth than they normally do.

After customarily sprinting to the locker room after the final buzzer sounded, the Crimson players were back on the floor within minutes giving high fives to fans, getting hugs from roommates and signing autographs for little girls who probably go home, get out a basketball and practice the Jenn Monti crossover and the Laela Sturdy three-point shot in their driveways.

The players, still in their sweat-drenched jerseys, wore a look that was half elation and half disbelief. 2,035 people had been in the stands to see them play their best game of the season, a 73-67 win over their biggest Ivy nemesis that was shown nationwide on DirecTV and that turned out to be Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith's 150th Ivy win.

And these were not any 2,035 fans. These were 2,035 rabid, The-Game-like fans who turned out en masse to Lavietes Pavilion. And this was on the same night that 2,801 fans were in Bright Hockey Center for Harvard's 3-2 win over Yale. For those playing at home, that's almost 5,000 people across the Charles at one time for non-football athletic events.

Junior center Melissa Johnson was doing her best to top Roberto Benigni, hugging and laughing and absorbing every moment.

"Ohmygod. I've been waiting for this game for too long," said the North Carolina transfer, enjoying her first Ivy win. "I'm so happy right now. It was so exciting. The fans were the best. I love the fans, I love everybody."

Captain Laela Sturdy was just as ecstatic.

"This is such a great feeling," Sturdy said. "There is nothing better than the Ivy League starting. And there is nothing better than beating that team. This is what we run for in the summer. This is what we sweat for in the preseason."

And it was the best feeling because it was Dartmouth, for which Harvard has had a festering dislike over the last few years.

"The rivalry [with Dartmouth] is getting stronger and stronger every year," Sturdy said. "I thought we played pretty intense. We were in control the whole time. We always kept our composure."

The win answered a big question for the young Crimson team that had folded in some non-conference games against strong opponents.

The question: How would Harvard, picked fourth in the conference before the season, respond to pressure and talent from Ivy opponents like Dartmouth and Penn?

The answer after Friday: Quite well.

Even though Delaney-Smith sarcastically emphasized that there was nothing special about this game, the glint in her eye told otherwise.

"Awinisawinisawinisawin," she said, but quickly added, "Every time you beat your arch rival, it feels good. I don't care whether we won by 20 or two. It's OK. I'll take it."

We'll have to wait and see when the Crimson takes the court against the Quakers, but at least for now, Harvard is on top of its game.

Monti, a sophomore point guard, was unstoppable Friday, having a tremendous first half and an easier time breaking the press than she has had in past games. She finished with six assists.

One reason Monti was so successful was because she actually got a few minutes of rest. Junior Lisa Kowal, just back from injuries that have kept her out almost the whole season, spelled Monti for five minutes and gave the Crimson an able secondary ball-handler, something it has not had this season, while Monti took a breather.

Sturdy was on fire from the floor. She hit 3-of-4 three-pointers, boosting her three-point percentage to 52.9, most likely keeping her in the top ten in the country. When her hand is that hot, she should not be afraid to put up the three-point shot.

One sore spot for the Crimson was on the boards.

Taller than most every team in college basketball, Harvard should be able to dominate the glass day in and day out.

Friday, the Crimson out-rebounded the Big Green 43-41, although the much smaller Dartmouth team still managed 19 offensive rebounds. The Crimson managed just 13.

If the Crimson can put that part of its game together, it will be a nearly complete team.

And if the Harvard players continue to play at the level they played at Friday, they might just complete a successful Ivy season.