Women Cagers Burned in Hawaii

The Harvard women's basketball team had a rough time over the past few weeks, as the Crimson won only one of its four road games scheduled during winter break.

After an 81-56 defeat by the University of Maine at Memorial Gym in Orono, Me., on December 20, the women hoopsters were off until last weekend, when they travelled to sunny Honolulu to participate in the three-day Wahine Classic at the University of Hawaii.

Competing against what Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney Smith called "some of the toughest teams on our schedule," the Crimson suffered two early defeats, losing to Vanderbilt (78-50) and Kansas (70-52) before rebounding to down Portland State, 68-63, and finish seventh in the eight-team tourney.

At Orono, sophomore Sarah Duncan led Harvard with 16 points and six rebounds, while Co-Captain Sharon Hayes was also a double-figure scorer with 11 points. Debbie Duff netted 22 points for the Black Bears, with teammate Liz Coffin grabbing eight rebounds.

Hayes, who was averaging 10.7 points per game going into the break, was Harvard's hot shooter in Hawaii--she led the Crimson in scoring in all three tourney games, netting 10 points against Vanderbilt, 14 against Kansas, and a whopping 28 in the final game with Portland State. Hayes' 28-point outing was a career high for the junior forward, and ranks third on the Harvard all-time single-game scoring list.

The Crimson opens its Ivy League slate this weekend.