Harvard Women's Basketball Hungry for First Place, Prepares for Battle Against New York Foes

Fresh off its 91-35 demolition of rivals Yale, Harvard women’s basketball (15-2, 4-1 Ivy) continues its home stretch with back-to-back games against conference foes Columbia (14-4, 5-0 Ivy) and Cornell (4-14, 0-5 Ivy).

The Crimson’s premier matchup will be Friday’s battle against the Lions, the current League leaders, for pole position in the Ivy League in ESPN’s Game of the Week.

Season Recap

Harvard has enjoyed a remarkable season thus far, sitting in a tie for second place in the League and just one victory away from tying last season’s win total. Head coach Carrie Moore, who is in her third season with the team, and senior sensation Harmoni Turner received national recognition, being named to the midseason watch list for the Mid-Major Coach and Player of the Year awards.

Beyond individual accolades, the team boasts the top scoring defense in the country, allowing only 50.9 points per game. Harvard currently holds the best overall record in the Ivy League and has consistently earned top-25 votes in AP polls.

This is the most complete team of Moore’s tenure, best equipped to end the program’s 17 year conference championship drought.

The Crimson opened the season with a commanding 71-58 victory over UMass led by junior Gabby Anderson’s 20 points and 4 assists. Later that week, the team traveled to Bloomington, IN and made a statement with a marquee 72-68 overtime victory over then-No. 25 Indiana. The performance showcased the team’s potential and ability to compete with top-tier programs as well as netting Harvard’s first ranked win of the Moore era.

Three days later, Quinnipiac snatched Harvard’s undefeated record, soundly defeating the Crimson 76-53 in the team’s worst defensive outing of the season. Following the loss, Turner responded in a big way, scoring a program record 41 points and 10 rebounds en route to a 78-70 victory over Boston College.

Turner’s dominant performance marked the start of a ten game win streak for the Crimson including a last second buzzer beater to down St. John’s.

The Crimson tasted defeat again against perennial powerhouse Princeton, conceding a heartbreaking buzzer beater in the 52-50 defeat. Since then, Harvard has gone on its most dominant stretch of the season, demolishing Brown, Penn, and Yale each by at least 29 points.

Moore attributes the streak to a shift in team philosophy.

“We try to focus less on what the other team is doing,” Moore said. “This year, it’s about focusing on us, who we are, and how we can be successful. The ability to get stops when we need them has really allowed us to compete and win a lot of games. I’m really proud of the growth on that end.”

Scouting Columbia

Columbia remains a powerhouse in Ivy League women’s hoops, boasting an undefeated conference record and the number one seed.

The Lions have dealt the season-ending blow to every Moore-led Harvard team, 77-71 in the 2023 WNIT tournament and 63-61 in the 2024 Ivy League playoffs.

“We obviously are excited to host a nationally televised game on our home court,” said Moore. “It’s an opportunity to play the best team in the league and I feel that our team is ready to own this opportunity. The difference of the game will come down to toughness and second and third efforts.”

Columbia boasts the top scoring and rebounding Ivy League program, led by a three-headed monster of Riley Weiss, Kitty Henderson, and Cecilia Collins, each averaging double figures.

Harvard’s keys to victory rests on the defensive end to limit Columbia’s explosiveness and minimize turnovers.

“They feed off of what they could do in transition,” said Moore. “From the three point line, not giving up a lot of open looks is a huge part of our game plan. Luckily for us, over the season it has not been a one off, it is who we’ve been all year long.”

Scouting Cornell

Cornell sits at the exact opposite end of the spectrum, yet to win in Ivy League play.

Cornell’s offensive struggles are well documented as the team has the lowest scoring average in the Ivy League and the team attempts the least amount of three pointers.

Many have written off Big Red, but coach Moore does not underestimate her opponent.

“We often say our next game is the biggest game of the year. That will be the approach for Saturday’s game just like we’ve been doing all year long.”

Moore said she wasn’t worried for the team’s endurance in the back-to-back, citing the two road back-to-backs in the fall. In this stretch, Harvard defeated Illinois State, Northwestern, Stony Brook, and St. John’s.

The key to victory for Harvard will be its three point shooting. The Crimson attempt 10 more three-pointers per game than Cornell and convert them at a higher rate (30.9% versus 24.8%).

If Harvard can continue its perimeter dominance, it will have a decisive advantage in this matchup. Look for Harvard to use its spacing and ball movement to generate looks from beyond the arc and put sustained pressure on Cornell’s defense.

As Harvard heads into this pivotal home stretch, these matchups will provide a measuring stick for the Crimson’s postseason aspirations. If Harvard can secure a pair of victories, it will be well positioned in the Ivy League standings for the final weeks of the regular season.

—Staff writer Oscar E. Mercado can be reached at oscar.mercado@thecrimson.com.