Columbia Staves Off Harvard’s Comeback, Stays Atop Ivy League Women’s Basketball Standings

In the biggest game of the Ivy League season so far, Columbia (15-4, 6-0 Ivy) bested Harvard (15-3, 4-2) 80-71 at Lavietes Pavilion in the Crimson’s worst defensive outing of the season. Four Lionesses scored double figures, including 26 points from Riley Weiss and 22 points from Kitty Henderson. The loss extends Harvard’s regular season losing streak against Columbia to six years, with the last triumph dating back to February 8, 2019.

“That team did what we typically do to other teams,” coach Moore said. “Need a bit more from our upperclassmen in terms of their leadership from playmaking, toughness, vocalness, all of it. We’re learning right now… we can be a much better version of ourselves.”

Senior Harmoni Turner and junior Saniyah Glenn-Bello led the Crimson offense with 21 points and 16 points, respectively. Glenn-Bello and junior Gabby Anderson maintained a strong defensive presence, racking up three steals each. Despite her final total, Columbia did a good job of limiting Turner, who put up most of her points in the fourth quarter with the game out of hand.

“My hope for her is she can dictate more than she allows good, physical teams in our league to dictate what she does,” said Moore. “She’s got to find ways to get to her spots, that’s what really good players do.”

Though the matchup was billed as No. 1 offense versus No. 1 defense, Columbia played like it held both accolades, forcing seven turnovers and shooting 50% in the first quarter.

“When talent meets talent, there has to be an edge of some sort,” said Moore. “Against them, we just don’t play smart enough. We didn't get to places we needed to because of the press.”

Anderson gave Harvard’s only lead of the game when she stripped the ball and took it coast to coast, sending Lavietes into a frenzy. The raucous crowd did not faze the Lions who continued pressing to force turnovers and fuel a 7-0 run.

Despite a Harvard timeout, Columbia continued to attack all areas of the floor, extending its lead to 18-7. Turner and sophomore Karlee White offered spurts of success on offense but Weiss’s 10 point quarter, including a buzzer beating floater to end the quarter, left Columbia in front 23-14.

Harvard started the quarter strong with freshman Lydia Chatira knocking down a pull up jumper and the defense forcing a shot clock violation. Glenn-Bello took charge of the offense, converting a three-point play and another layup to cut the deficit to 27-23. Columbia capitalized on consecutive turnovers from Harvard’s offense to balloon the lead to 31-23.

A timeout briefly helped the Crimson as a Turner triple and senior Elena Rodriguez’s layup closed the gap to 33-28. The Lions responded with another 7-0 run, reaching its largest lead of the game. Desperately needing a basket, Chatira battled through contact and layed the ball in, ending Harvard’s scoring drought and cutting the deficit to 40-30 for halftime.

Columbia’s Henderson muscled her way inside for a scoop layup then intercepted an errant Turner pass for another layup, extending the Lions lead to 44-30. The Crimson continued to struggle with the Lions’ press, unable to string together consistently productive possessions. Twice, Harvard cut the lead to single digits, but the Lions steady offense pulled through, extending the lead to 60-46 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Lions shot a perfect 6-for-6 over the first three minutes of the quarter, gaining an insurmountable 73-54 lead. The Lavietes crowd did not abandon their Crimson, cheering on massive play one after another as Harvard strung together a 10-0 run and unlocked the bonus with four minutes left trailing 73-64.

Columbia’s offense found its form once again, not allowing Harvard to close the gap further. A late three pointer by Turner cut the lead to 78-71, but with only 20 seconds remaining, the Crimson would need a miracle to win. The Lions denied any miracle, closing the game on top 80-71.

“I love that they fought at the end,” Moore said about her team. “I feel we’re so much better than what we just showed. I hope it motivates us to show a better version of ourselves tomorrow [against Cornell].”

The defeat leaves Harvard in third place of the Ivy League in an uphill battle for the conference’s top seed, with a chance for redemption against the Lions in two weeks' time. The road begins tomorrow against Cornell back at Lavietes starting at 5:00PM.

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