Offense, it seems, was both the sickness and the cure.

The Harvard women's basketball team (7-11, 4-3 Ivy) broke out of its post-exam slump this weekend, winning the back end of a pair of games against Ivy League rivals Princeton (11-8, 6-1) and Penn (7-12, 2-5) at Lavietes Pavilion. After continuing a disturbing trend of sparse scoring in a 55-42 loss to the Tigers on Friday night, the Crimson rebounded with a 70-68 thriller against the Quakers. PRINCETON  55 HARVARD  42 PENN  68 HARVARD  70

In Friday's loss, it seemed Harvard was battling not just first-place Princeton but also Lady Luck, who this season has been among the Crimson's most bitter foes. Despite generating good shots under and around the basket, Harvard was consistently unable to put the ball through the rim.

It took just one night for the Crimson's fortunes to change as it shot 48.4 percent from the floor against Penn, 20 percent higher than the evening before.

"We did everything we planned to do to stop Princeton, and we just could not put the ball in the basket," said Harvard

Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith. "We got the same shotsagainst Penn, but they went in better [on Saturday]."

The loss to Princeton represents the first homeIvy loss for any current Harvard player, a span of23 games dating back to a March 1995 loss toDartmouth. The Crimson now sits in third place inthe Ivies, one game behind the Tiers and the BigGreen (14-7, 6-1).

Freshman point guard Jennifer Monti shined allweekend long. She displayed the "full Monti,"combining for 23 points, 13 assists and 12rebounds on the weekend, and was the driving forcebehind strong second-half runs in both games.

Senior Rose Janowski added 13 and 12 points,respectively, and corralled 18 total rebounds onthe weekend. Junior Courtney Egelhoff paced herteam with 14 points against Penn, including 4-of-7from three-point range.

Harvard 70, Penn 68

As De La Soul might say, three was the magicnumber.

Four straight three-pointers-two by Egelhoffand one apiece from co-captain Suzie Miller andMonti-helped turn a five-point Harvard deficitinto a five-point lead with 1:34 to go in the game.Penn led for most of the see-saw contest, but the fourtreys capped a 12-2 Harvard run that put theCrimson up for good.

One possession after an Egelhoff three broughtHarvard within two, 62-60, Miller rode thenewfound wave of momentum, taking the ball upcourtand launching an NBA-distance trifecta from beyondthe top of the key. The gutsy shot gave theCrimson--down by as many as eight points severaltimes in the second half--its first lead since39-38, at the 16:00 mark.

Quaker sophomore Elisabeth Alexander put herteam ahead briefly with a jumper at the other end,but on the Crimson's ensuing possession, Egelhoffbarked for the ball at one o'clock, took a dishfrom Monti and flung a screaming liner through therim. After a Penn miss, Monti pushed the stake ineven further, hitting a wide open three from theright corner after Janowski astutely passed out ofa triple team in the high post.

"When [Monti] hit that shot, I think that wassort of the clincher for us." co-captain SarahRussell said. "I think the key for us was goingafter the ball and being a little more patient. Weknew the double was coming; we all just went afterit a little harder. Plus it helped that peoplewere reading the defense, and with the triangleoffense, that's the only way it's ever going towork and flow."

Monti's three did not prevent some anxiousmoments in the game's final minute. As big as theQuakers in the fight were--two Penn starters stand6'2 or taller--the fight in the Quakers was ofstill greater size.

Sophomore forward Diana Caramanico, who ledboth teams with 23 points and 12 rebounds, broughtPenn within three with a baby jumper from belowthe foul line. Harvard then lost possession whenRussell could not handle a sloppy inbounds pass,and sophomore center Jessica Allen trimmed thedeficit to one on a floater from the right blockswith 13 seconds remaining.