Andover, Mass. - In its first road game of the 2022-23 season, the Harvard women's basketball team (3-1) defeated Merrimack (0-4) with a score of 85-43.

Four Crimson players reported points in double-digits in tonight's away contest, with Elena Rodriguez scoring 21, first-year Gabby Anderson scoring 13, junior Lola Mullaney scoring 12 and first-year Katie Krupa scoring ten. Four other players scored at least six points.

Both teams remained scoreless for nearly the first two minutes of action, with Maggie McCarthy dropping the first bucket for the Crimson in a layup. The Crimson out-rebounded the Warriors 12-6 in the first quarter, with McCarthy scoring a last second three-point field goal to close the quarter 19-11.

Gabby Anderson wasted no time hitting a field goal seconds into the start of the second quarter, in which the Crimson dominated offensively. Harvard went on a 14-point run, outshooting the Warriors ten to four in field goals, shooting 76.9 percent over Merrimack's 26.7. Harvard went into the half with a 22 point lead, 44-22.

For the fourth game in a row, Harvard came out of the locker room with a lead. The Crimson held the Warriors scoreless for the first two and a half minutes of play to start the second half. Harvard posted four assists over Merrimack's one and outscored the Warriors in the third quarter 22-9, bringing their lead to 37 points.

Harvard held their lead throughout the final quarter of play, bringing their final margin of victory to 42, as the game ended 85-43. .

Harvard Highlights

-Rodriguez lead the team in points for the first time in her collegiate career, scoring 21 throughout the night. This sets a new career-high by nine points over her previous record of ten. She also lead the team in assists with five and, following Anderson, reported the team's second highest rebounds along with Elle Stauffer with six.
-Anderson also had a strong night, breaking into the top three on the Crimson team in points (13), assists (3) and rebounds (7), a metric in which she lead the team.
-Harvard put up double the score of Merrimack in the first half of the game alone, going into halftime with a 44-22 lead.
-Rodriguez, Krupa, Stauffer and Lindsay Lawson accounted for 41 points off the bench over Merrimack's two bench points.
- Harvard reported 19 assists and 40 rebounds on the night, the most in both metrics of any game so far this season.
- Harvard outscored the Warriors 33-17 in field goals, making 56.9% compared to Merrimack's 30.9%.
- The Crimson scored 14 points off of free throws, shooting 14 for 17 throughout the game.
-Tonight's victory extends the Crimson's winning streak over the Warriors to 2, with Harvard having won both of the matchups in series history and holding an all-time record of 2-0.

Up Next

The Crimson will head to Cancun, Mexico tomorrow to prepare for the Cancun Challenge Tournament with games each day from Thursday, Nov. 24 to Saturday, Nov. 26. Harvard will face off against Purdue, Oklahoma State and Florida State. The games will stream on FloHoops.