Harvard Splits Pair of Close Games in Tourney

According to the Crimson, it’s not all about the destination. It’s about how you get there.

The Harvard women’s basketball team traveled to Boulder, Colo. for the Omni Hotels Classic, taking on New Orleans and Colorado University in the two-day tournament.

Despite thin air and a weary squad, the Crimson (3-3) dispatched the Privateers, 60-57, on Friday night before falling to the heavily-favored Buffaloes, 67-65, on Saturday.

Both contests remained close until the final buzzer, but junior co-captain Claire Wheeler suggested that the back-and-forth games were decided by sustained play, not last-minute heroics.

“Honestly, it’s not as much about the end,” Wheeler said of the loss to Colorado. “We made errors that we could have controlled, and that would not have put is in position to be that close at the end. Throughout the game, we just need to clean it up and become more consistent.”

Although Wheeler expressed frustration that Harvard let Saturday’s game slip away, the junior deemed the weekend a success, as the Crimson not only earned a split but also proved that it can keep pace with more heralded programs.

“At this point in the season, Colorado should be blowing people out, but we hung in there and could have beaten them,” Wheeler said. “Everything didn’t go our way…but we never gave up. The team really battled and everyone was there for each other.”

COLORADO 67, HARVARD 65

The Buffaloes (5-1) entered the tournament championship on a roll, but it was the Crimson that came out firing. The visiting squad jumped out to an 8-0 lead and kept its foot on the pedal thanks to a number of key performances. Junior Emma Markley posted a team-high 24 points, freshman Victoria Lippert added 14, and junior Jackie Alemany grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds.

Still, Harvard could not subdue the Buffaloes, who consistently overcame large deficits and netted the decisive basket with five seconds remaining.

“We had a great start to the first and second halves, and the goal is to sustain that energy,” Wheeler said. “One goal we did reach was that we outrebounded Colorado…We’re trying to improve all around, but the rebounds are a good start.”

The Crimson finished the contest with a 34-31 edge on the glass, but it was not enough to keep the Buffalo offense at bay. Colorado responded to Harvard’s opening 8-0 run with three consecutive three-pointers, setting the tone for a game marked by streaky scoring.

Despite another Crimson eight-point spurt, the Buffaloes took a 33-32 lead into the locker room.

With the Colorado offense finding its footing, Harvard turned to its defense in the second half to keep the contest close.

The Crimson stole the ball on consecutive possessions, giving Markley two easy buckets and turning a slim deficit into a 39-35 lead with 17:34 remaining. Markley also notched four blocks, pushing her tournament-record total to 10 on the weekend.

“Emma Markley had a great all around game,” junior Christine Matera said. “She is the key for us to play against big teams.”

Harvard built its second-half lead as high as nine points, but in such a back-and-forth battle, it was the little things that undid the Crimson.

The Buffaloes forced 16 turnovers and benefited from a number of foul calls against Harvard, as the teams pulled even at 63 with 1:19 remaining. After Chuck Jeffery put Colorado up with two of her 10 second-half points on a layup, Lippert calmly knocked down two free throws to set up the game’s final possession. Unfortunately for the Crimson, Jeffery converted once again, leaving Harvard on the wrong end of a heated contest.

HARVARD 60, NEW ORLEANS 57

Having taken long flights the day before, both Harvard and the Privateers (3-2) struggled early on to find a rhythm and adjust to the thin Boulder air.

“Both teams were battling the altitude,” Wheeler said. “Neither team played their best game, but we did what we had to do to win.”

Wheeler certainly did her part—netting a team-high 14 points on 4-of-5 from the floor—while sophomore Brogan Berry added 13 to pace the Crimson offense.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Harvard maintained its poise from the charity stripe, hitting all 15 of its free throws—including a pair from Lippert with 2:26 remaining to put the Crimson ahead for good.

In the first half, it did not appear as though Harvard would need clutch free-throw shooting, as it built a 32-26 lead heading into the locker room. But New Orleans refused to go quietly.

The Privateers owned the boards, posting a 53-26 edge in rebounds throughout the contest. By controlling the glass, New Orleans earned itself a 14-2 advantage on points in the paint in the second half as it fought back to a 50-49 lead with 7:24 remaining.

“We weren’t rebounding as well [against New Orleans],” Matera said. “That’s something we need to be more consistent with. But we were playing tough the whole game and were able to just grind it out.”

The teams traded baskets down the stretch, but with the Crimson trailing 57-56, Lippert grabbed a key offensive rebound and drew a foul. After knocking down both free throws, the rookie nailed a jumper with 1:30 remaining to push the lead to three and seal the win for Harvard.

—Staff writer Max N. Brondfield can be reached at mbrondf@fas.harvard.edu.