PRINCETON, N.J.-- The Harvard women's basketball team won't go down in history--not this year, anyway.
The Crimson, which was handed the Ivy title on Tuesday when Princeton (17-8, 9-4 Ivy) lost to Pennsylvania, lost its first Ivy contest of the season last night as Princeton defeated Harvard, 74-70.
The Crimson, which has won only once in 18 tries in Jadwin Gym, nearly pulled off what would have been the most miraculous comeback of the season.
Harvard was down by 14 points with 3:37 remaining in the game, but managed to cut the lead to 71-68 with 31 seconds remaining.
"We were a step behind the whole first half," Harvard's Jen Manzanec said. "We dug too deep of a hole for ourselves. We never should have gotten down that far."
The Crimson opened the game in a man-to-man defense and forced a 24-second violation on Princeton's first possession, but it was the Tigers who took the early lead, going up 6-2 with 16 minutes left in the first half. Co-Captain Beth Wambach gave Harvard its first lead of the game, 9-8, when she nailed a three-pointer, but Princeton captain Julie Brackenridge's three put the Tigers back on top, 12-4, with 11:51 remaining.
Harvard called timeout forty seconds later after Princeton had expanded the lead to 14-9 and then rallied back to tie the game, 14-14, on sophomore guard Erin Maher's trey. Both teams exchanged leads the rest of the half, with Princeton going up by as much as five, and going into the intermission with a 28-25 advantage.
Harvard got off to a quick start in the second half, scoring the first four points and grabbing a 29-28 lead. Princeton then came back, taking a 45-35 lead that led Harvard coach Kathy Delaney Smith to call a time out with 14 minutes remaining. To make matters worse for the Crimson, sophomore center Debbie Flandermeyer committed her third foul at the 16:36 mark and was replaced by junior forward Heather Harris.
Foul trouble continued to plague the Crimson, as Harris picked up her fourth foul two minutes later. Princeton continued to pour on the offense, as Laura Leacy connected on a three-pointer to put Princeton ahead, 48-37, with 13 minutes left.
Princeton continued to play tenacious defense, and Harvard was clearly frazzled. Flanermeyer returned at the 10 minute mark, but picked up a foul on her first defensive play and was once again forced to sit.
Harvard made a mini-comeback, cutting the lead to 53-49, but Princeton eventually took its biggest lead of the game, 61-49, before Delaney Smith called time out with six minutes left.
The Tigers inflated their lead to 65-51 and after a non-call on the defensive end, a frustrated Delaney Smith was hit with a technical foul. Harvard then began one of its patented comebacks, but this time the Crimson fell short.
Wambach cut the lead to 71-68 with 31 seconds remaining, but Harvard would come no closer. Junior forward Cornelle Burt sealed the game with a free throw that put HARVARD (70): Maura Healey 1-3 0-2 2; Heidi Kosh 2-6 2-2 6; Dina Hadrick 3-8 0-0 6; Beth Wambach 4-12 0-0 11; Heather Harris 4-4 2-2 10; Erin Maher 1-5 0-3; Jen Mazanec 4-9 2-2 10; Betsy Odita 3-8 0-0 6; Debbie Flandermeyer 3-8 10-10 16; Cara Frey 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 25-64 16-18 70 Princeton (74): Leah Spraragen 1-3 1-2 3; Laura Leacy 3-7 0-1 8; Julie Brackenridge 8-12 2-2 20; Corneille Burt 4-12 12-14 20; Tina Smith 5-7 1-2 11; Hilary Malcarney 3-6 0-1 6; Leslie Read 0-0 0-0 0; Jenny Carlson 0-3 0-0 0; Robyn Algeria 1-3 4-6 6. Totals: 25-53 20-28 74 Three-pointers: Wambach 3, Maher, Brackendridge 2, Leacy 2. Rebounds: Princeton 35 (Smith 9); Harvard 39 (Flandermeyer 14); Assists: Harvard 7 (Kosh 4); Princeton 16 (Spraragen, Brackendridge 4). Steals: Harvard 8 (Kosh 4); Princeton 16 (Spraragen, Brackendridge 4). Blocks: Harvard 4 (Flandermeyer 3); Princeton 4 (Smith 2). Fouled Out: Wambach, Spraragen. Total Fouls: Harvard 21; Princeton 18. Turnovers: Harvard 18; Princeton 17. Attendance: 125
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