“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.