Women Cagers Scorch Brown, 71-60

Seniors Sharon Hayes, Barb Keffer, Nancy Cibotti, and Mary Baldauf were honored for their four years of contribution to the Harvard women's basketball program in a ceremony at Briggs Cage before Saturday night's game against Brown.

But juniors Sarah Duncan and Beth Chandler combined with sophomore Heidi Kosh to lead the Crimson on this Senior Night. Harvard's 71-60 win over the Bruins helped clinch at least a tie for the 1988 Ivy League championship and also established a Harvard season record for most over-all victories (21).

The Crimson (21-4 overall, 12-1 Ivy) will face Dartmouth Tuesday night at Briggs Cage for the outright Ivy title. Dartmouth's 51-49 squeaker over Yale in Hanover Saturday night gave the Big Green a chance to tie for the crown with a win over Harvard.

Duncan was the key for the Crimson Saturday night, contributing 17 points. 13 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals.

"We had good ball movement again tonight." said Duncan. Harvard's leading scorer and rebounder. "In the last game against Brown. We were moving the ball but not creating opportunities to score. This time we were creating those opportunities."

Chandler scored 11 points and pulled down seven rebounds to help the Crimson out-rebounded the Bruins. 48-36.

"Everything was even tonight between the two teams except for the rebounding." Brown Coach Maureen Enos said. "Considering the team was suffering from the flu this week. I'm really pleased about the way we played, especially the play of the freshmen."

Harvard jumped out to a 14-7 lead behind Tri-Captain Hayes, who scored 16 points and pulled down six offensive rebounds on her way to a total of 11 caroms. But Brown kept the game close thanks to some terrible inside shooting by the Crimson and excellent play by the Bruins' Margaret Fuchs.

"There was a lot of emotion involved tonight," Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney Smith said, "and I think we were a little bit tight after the long ceremony before the game and also a little intimidated."

Like a handful of freshman centers this year, Fuchs gave the Crimson problems. The 6-ft., 2-in. Brown center scored 14 points in the first half to go along with her six rebounds and two blocked shots.

Mighty Strong

"She [Fuchs] is a physically strong player," Delaney Smith said, "but I wasn't worried about her because if you play behind her, she can't do much with the ball once she gets it. She's not like Sarah [Duncan] or Beth [Chandler], who can square to the basket and become a threat."

The Crimson did stop Fuchs--who finished the game with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals--in the second half, thanks to some tough defensive positioning by Chandler and Cibotti.

The rest of the Bruins' efforts was not enough to threaten the Crimson, led by Kosh's excellent full-court pressure and brilliant handling of the fast break.

The only thing left was to celebrate the title: cutting down the nets and avoiding flying champagne in the locker room.