MARCH TO THE SEA: Question for Crimson is, Who Will Be No. 3?

In this case, three’s not a crowd.

Harvard women’s basketball will be dominated by junior forward Hana Peljto and sophomore center Reka Cserny this season. In the Crimson’s 79-70 victory against Northeastern last night, Peljto and Cserny each had double-doubles and both players scored 24 points, combining for more than half of the Crimson’s total output.

But the dynamic duo is going to need help this weekend. On Sunday, Harvard will square off against No. 14 Minnesota. If the Crimson is to show the world it can compete with the “Big Dog” (or, the “Big Gophers”), a third scorer will need to emerge for Harvard.

Against the Huskies, Peljto and Cserny can do the job themselves. Unfortunately, not everyone on the schedule is Northeastern. Sunday’s match-up with the Golden Gophers is a chance for Harvard to make up for the 84-44 debacle against No. 8 Vanderbilt in Tennessee on Sunday. Yet, the only way Harvard will avoid a similar fate is if someone other than a former Ivy League Rookie of the Year steps up.

“Reka and Hana are two of the best players in the northeast,” said Harvard coach Kathy Delaney-Smith. “If we can get a balanced game going where others get involved, which we did not do [against Northeastern], then we’ll have a chance to be a great team.”

Junior Tricia Tubridy and freshman Jessica Holsey are prime candidates to be the Crimson’s third scoring option. Holsey nailed two second-half three-pointers against Northeastern, and Tubridy has been an outside shooting star in years past. However, Holsey only played 20 minutes last night after a rough first half. Tubridy dished out seven assists (a career high), but only took five shots, ending up with four points.

“During the course of a game, I’m looking for the kid who is going to step up and have the hot hand,” Delaney-Smith said. “We didn’t make many shots from the outside against Northeastern, especially in the first half. Jessica made a couple in the second, but we’re taking too many low-percentage shots across the board.”

It’s a great luxury to be able to be critical of a team after a nine-point win, but this year’s Harvard squad has lofty goals. Delaney-Smith stated before the season began that she expected Harvard to be a top-30 team this year. Trailing Northeastern 41-35 at the half and losing to Vanderbilt by 40 points are signs that this team is still a work in progress.

“I was very disappointed in our defensive effort in the first half [against Northeastern]. There was no talking at halftime. It’s the angriest I’ve been all season,” Delaney-Smith said. “In the first minute of the game, we had five turnovers. That sets the tone for the game. All of a sudden, teams that aren’t as good as us start to think they can compete.”

Fortunately for Harvard, Peljto’s 9-for-13 field goal shooting (and 6-for-6 from the line), combined with Cserny’s 14 second-half points, helped the Crimson outlast the pesky Huskies.

“We made good second-half adjustments,” Cserny said. “But we have to start stronger against Minnesota and play much better defense for the entire game.”

Holsey ended the game with 10 total points and sophomore point guard Dirkje Dunham added nine. If those numbers are doubled on Sunday, Harvard has an opportunity to score a major upset and send shockwaves through the NCAA. If not...

“Let’s just say we have to play a hell of a lot better unless we’re going to have another Vanderbilt,” Delaney-Smith said. “We’re lucky that our schedule gives us the chance this Sunday to step up and see what we’re made of.”

If the supporting cast gets the message, the Crimson will be made of something special.

—Staff writer Alex M. Sherman can be reached at sherman@fas.harvard.edu.