Despite controlling most of the game, the Harvard's women's basketball team could not break out of its early-season malaise, falling, 74-67, to Northeastern Saturday at Lavaeties.

"We played 35 minutes of hard basketball," freshman forward Tricia Turbidy said. "Next game we've got to put 40 minutes together."

The loss, Harvard's fifth in a row, drops the Crimson to 1-8 (0-0 Ivy). The Huskies improve to 3-3.

Northeastern won the game on thec strength of 62% second-half shooting and 15 second-half free throws. The Huskies were at their best during a critical four-minute stretch in the second half, when they turned an 8-point deficit into a four-point lead.

Harvard looked to be clicking on all cylinders midway through the second half. After a pair of Northeastern free throws tied the game at 42 with 15:15 left, Harvard went on an 11-3 run, keyed by good ball movement in-and- out of the paint, a dominant inside game and no turnovers.

When senior guard Lisa Kowal found freshman forward Tricia Turbidy down low for an easy lay-up and a foul with 11:46 left, Harvard led, 55-47, and appeared to have the game well in hand.

But after calling a timeout to slow down the momentum, Northeastern adjusted to the Crimson inside attack by playing a sagging 2-3 zone. The Huskies double and triple-teamed every post player with the ball, forcing Harvard to hit outside shots.

The plan worked perfectly. Without a reliable inside presence, Harvard was unable to generate any offense. The Crimson tentatively swung the ball around the perimeter and hoisted up shot after missed shot. Harvard converted just 30 percent for the half and would only make five field goals the rest of the game.