BOSTON LEE PARTY: Underdog Role Fits W. Hoops

Whether it’s Rocky Balboa fighting Apollo Creed, Hickory High versus South Bend Central, or even Doug Flutie against Miami, the role of the underdog is always the most fun—as long as you win.

After four Ivy losses, the Harvard women’s basketball team has fallen out of the favorite role and back into that of the underdog.

Not only does it suit the talented Crimson squad well—it may even redeem Harvard’s season.

Going into her final homestand this weekend against Yale and Brown, Tricia Tubridy explained it perfectly.

“In my experience, in my entire career, any team I’ve ever been on has performed better as an underdog than as a favorite. When you’re an underdog, you have a mental edge. Who doesn’t want to beat someone who is supposed to beat them?”

Everyone knew the Crimson was good last year, but this season was the one pre-marked for glory. Predictions about the best Ivy offense ever ran rampant through the league. There was no dispute about Harvard being the best team in the Ancient Eight, and a spot among the top 30 teams in the country was a possibility.

Then the Crimson lost to Dartmouth. And Cornell, and Penn, and finally a painful defeat to bottom-dweller Yale on Valentine’s Day. Four losses, and suddenly Harvard’s run in the Ivy race was cut short. No team has won the title with four losses.

On paper, this season will be, barring a miracle, a disappointment.

But you’d never have known it last weekend.

Last Saturday night I looked around in Lavietes Pavilion and saw an unfamiliar sight—smiles.

Tricia practically skipped out of the locker room after the game, beaming at awaiting friends and fans, and coach Kathy Delaney-Smith couldn’t speak enough praise of her team.

I thought about when I had last seen the Harvard women’s basketball team so happy and had to think back to last year, when the Crimson just beat out Columbia 78-74 on March 1.

That’s not to say that Harvard hasn’t played well since—the Crimson has had tough wins this season, but more tough losses and almost-wons. It was exciting when Harvard almost beat then-No. 16 Colorado, the near-comeback against Rutgers brought the crowd at Lavietes to its feet, but defeat took a different tone once the Ivy League season began.

A year ago, Harvard had already clinched the Ivy title when it took to the floor against Columbia at Lavietes. The league trophy and banner were to be presented after the game, which was sure to be a Crimson win as the Lions fell 90-62 in the previous meeting.

But with a minute and a half left and Columbia in the lead, Harvard was en route to embarrassment rather than celebration.

Then began the gutsy clutch play that characterizes comebacks, upsets and songs like “Eye of the Tiger.”

Tricia hit a three-pointer to tie the game and Bev Moore knocked down another from behind the arc. Five free throws later, the Crimson had fought back to the top. The close call gave Harvard even more to celebrate.

Call it grit, perseverance or sheer nerve—it’s the quality of the successful underdog. It’s when Trot Nixon hits a home run in Yankee Stadium, Josh Beckett shuts down Bronx Bombers and the 16th seed beats No. 1 in the NCAA Tournament.

When Harvard knocked Stanford out of the 1998 tourney, it sewed up one of the greatest upsets in basketball history. Moreover, it fostered the hope that Harvard—and the Ivy League—could compete.

The success of the underdog highlights the power of a team with nothing to lose. Four losses or no, there’s no denying that the Crimson is still a good team, but the pressure to dominate is gone.

I fell into the hype surrounding this season too. After covering the Big Dance for two years, this was the year that I wouldn’t have to write the word “disappointment.”

Now, having watched Harvard play scared as the favorite, it was thrilling to see the underdog back at work last weekend. That was the team that can accomplish its goal of avenging all its losses.

With Penn standing at 8-1 and Dartmouth at 7-2, Harvard still has a distant shot at the title. If the Crimson does storm back to a perfect second half, some may lament the lack of a league tourney to determine the champion.

But, again, Tubridy gets it right.

“I’m still really partial to the league title because it makes the regular season special and it makes every game important.”

Pride may be all that’s at stake for Harvard now, but in this league, that’s enough.

Anyone want to give me a ride to Penn next weekend?

—Staff writer Jessica T. Lee can be reached at lee45@fas.harvard.edu./