Five Down, and Five Wins To Go for Women.

Almost exactly a month ago the Harvard women's basketball team had a streak going--six straight losses.

The team was being out-rebounded by shorter squads and barely squeaking by losers like Massachusetts.

Then the Crimson went down to Princeton and pulled out a thrilling come-from-behind victory against its arch rivals.

The team hasn't been the same since.

"I think this a turning point in our season," Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney Smith said.

Four weeks later Princeton would have the misfortune of meeting a Crimson squad riding a different streak--five wins in a row.

Saturday Harvard (10-11 overall, 7-2 Ivy) defeated the Tigers in overtime, 85-83.

Not only did the Crimson hit clutch shots throughout the game, it played good defense.

Harvard held Princeton's All-Ivy forward Corneille Burt, who normally average 15 points, to a meager 10 points.

Although a superb player, Burt is much better going to her left. Harvard forced her right--and forced her out of her game. Burt attempted only four shots from the field in the second half and missed three of them.

Meanwhile, Harvard's All-Ivy forward Debbie Flandermeyer, tallied 25 points, seven rebounds, and three blocked shots.

"We've got to win every game here on out," Flandermeyer said after the Princeton win.

Five games now separate Harvard from its second consecutive Ivy League championship.

What has been the key to the Crimson's current success?

Delaney Smith contends that it was an inevitable consequence of the same players playing together.

"They've become familiar with each other. They know each other's moves," Delaney Smith said.

"I honestly feel the basketball is getting better and better every time we step on the court."

Flandermeyer cites the emergence of the younger players as a catalyst.

The Young Ones

"All season long we've said we needed five people to contribute on the floor. Now Tammy [Butler], Nikole [Cronk], Kelly [Morrison] and Kimberly [Seidel] are on a roll."

Butler is recording 6.9 rebounds per game, while Cronk is averaging 13.3 points per game in her last three contests.