W. Hoops, Butler Smother Terriers

The Butler did it in Briggs Cage with a basketball.

No, not a solution to a game of Clue.

Just a simple and an accurate summary of the Crimson's victory over crosstown rival Boston University, 81-72.

Last night, super Harvard sophomore Tammy Butler crushed the BU squad almost by herself, as the Harvard women's basketball team upped its record to a 3-1 season record.

"I thought Tammy was the key to the game," Co-Captain Debbie Flandermeyer said, who scored her 1,000 career point during the contest. "She was awesome tonight. Everytime we needed a big basket, she came through for us."

Butler shot 10 for 15 from the field: amassed 26 points (a personal best) and hauled in 13 rebounds.

In addition, she swatted away three BU shots.

Her performance was, well, awesome.

Of course Butler was the recipient of many good passes, as she pointed out.

"Our good ball movement enabled me to get some great shots," Butler said.

Harvard did pass well last night.

Led by Co-Captain Erin Maher (8 assists) the gang from Cambridge dished off 28 assists.

Many of these went to the low post to (you guessed it) Butler and Flandermeyer.

BU never found an answer to Harvard's twin towers. While Butler was dominating the floor, Flandermeyer wasn't doing badly herself, reaching a collegiate scoring plateau.

Flandermeyer scored her 1,000 career point with 18 minutes left in the game.

Following a Maher-missed three pointer, Flandermeyer grabbed the rebound and sunk the two footer. Two points for Harvard. And a place in the Harvard record books for Flandermeyer.

"I am excited about scoring 1000 points," Flandermeyer said. "It is a great honor to do this at the Division I level."

Besides stellar play on the inside, the Crimson was also able to contain the quick BU guards.

Obviously outsized, the Terriers needed to control the backcourt play and the tempo of the game.

Point guard Andrea Higgins did have seven nice assists, but the Harvard defense and rebounding took BU out of the game.

BU shot a poor 43 percent from the floor and had few second chance opportunities.

"Overall, I am pleased with our performance tonight," Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney Smith said. "A midweek game, before winter break, is traditionally tough. It would have been easy to overlook tonight's game, but this team didn't."

Apparently not.

HARVARD, 81-72 at Briggs Cage Boston U.  31  41  --  72 Harvard  42  39  --  81

BOSTON U.: Schmidt 9-15 0-2 18; Olson 6-12 0-4 18; Coleman 5-8 3-1 11; Higgins 3-12 7-3 8; Manchak 3-5 0-5 6; Killian 2-8 0-2 5; Huckle 1-1 0-1 5; Murphy 0-6 2-4 1; totals 29-67 12-30 72.

HARVARD: Butler 10-15 1-13 26; Flandermeyer 9-13 5-10 20; Maher 6-18 8-11 16; Frey 2-4 8-2 8; Crisera 2-2 0-1 4; Proudfit 1-4 0-1 3; Morrison 0-6 5-3 2; Reinhard 1-1 1-1 2; totals 31-63 28-47 81.