W. Hoops Lose 70-58, Drop Fourth in a Row

The Harvard women's basketball team found no relief for its season-long woes last night, losing 70-58 to the University of Rhode Island Rams on the road.

The Crimson (1-7, 0-0 Ivy) dropped its fourth game in a row since the team's lone win against New Hampshire two weeks ago. The non-conference Rams (3-4, 0-0 Atlantic 10) took two of their last three games for the first time since the 1998 season.

The game saw the return of senior center Melissa Johnson for the Crimson. Harvard was not able to capitalize on Johnson's 11 points and five boards, as it was outscored in the paint by the smaller Rams' frontcourt.

The Crimson guards were heavily pressured up top by URI's smaller players, allowing the undersized low-post Rams some time to battle for precious position against Harvard's offensive stars. The result was success for Rhode Island.

The Rams began the game with a 13-3 run, and began to pressure the Crimson ballhandlers from the outset. The intensity of URI's defense forced 18 Crimson turnovers in the first half.

"Our defensive pressure set the tone early," said Rams' Coach Belinda "Boe" Pearman. "It got Harvard to begin doubting their passing."

The turnovers quickly led to Ram buckets, as they netted 19 off the Crimson miscues, and carried a 31-19 lead into the half. Junior forward Yatar Ketuyah (13 points, 10 rebounds) began to assert control before the half, on her way to her thirteenth double-double in her last nineteen games.

The bright spot for the Crimson offense was Johnson's strong play. She had her way in the post, scoring almost at will when Harvard's guards were able to get the ball inside against the tight Ram defense.

Johnson, however, was only in for eight minutes during the first half, leaving the scoring to freshmen forwards Hana Peljto (12 points, four rebounds) and Tricia Tubridy (11 points, 12 rebounds).

On the defensive side, the Crimson stepped up the pressure in the second half, making URI work for its shots.

Harvard's tight zone pressure forced 23 Ram turnovers and recorded 10 steals. The up tempo and sometimes physical play at times got sloppy, accounting for both teams' inability to control the ball.

The Crimson's defensive pressure allowed it to creep within six on a Tubridy lay-in with 7:28 to go, but that was as close as it would get against URI.

The Rams, who got their first home win of the season, responded quickly, converting four of five field goal attempts over the next four minutes.

The URI surge was sparked by a steal at midcourt by senior guard Zinobia Machanguana with just over 6 minutes to play. Picking off a deflected Crimson pass, Machanguana turned one of the 17 URI steals on the night into an easy transition bucket.

From there, freshman guard Lindsey O'Neil took over. O'Neil hit a three-pointer from the corner, her second of the game, to put the Rams up 12 with five minutes to go.

O'Neil wasn't done.

She hit another three a minute later to ice the Rams' win. Harvard began to foul in desperation and O'Neil, an 80 percent foul shooter, hit seven of eight from the stripe, giving her a team-high 16 on the night.

The Crimson host Northeastern on Saturday at Lavietes Pavilion, and must get a win against the Huskies to salvage a season quickly slipping from its grasp.