CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's basketball will hit the road for its fourth of the final five remaining non-conference match ups to take on University of Rhode Island on Thursday, December 28.  The 2023 WNIT Super 16 rematch is set for 6:00 p.m. at the Thomas M. Ryan Center and on ESPN+.

What to Know

• Harvard has begun their 2023-24 season and the second year under head coach Carrie Moore 6-5 with six strong victories and only falling to Maine, BU, and a trio of Power 5 opponents.
• The last time out, the Crimson picked up its first win of December and got back in the win column with a 62-41 victory over UMass Lowell. 
• For the third straight game Harvard had four players reach double digits with Elena Rodriguez leading with 13 points, followed by Lola Mullaney and Karlee White with 11 and rounded out by Saniyah Glenn-Bello with 10 points. 
• Rodriguez flirted with a double-double by adding nine rebounds along with four assists and three steals.  The junior led the team in scoring for the first time in 2023-24 while leading in rebounding and assists for the seventh game this year. 
• With 11 points, White reached double digit points for the third time in her career with each coming in the last three contests. 
• The Crimson won the rebounding battle against the River Hawks by grabbing 37 rebounds as opposed to its opponents 29.  Additionally, Harvard dominated the paint with 38 of their 62 points coming close to the rim.
• For the second straight game the Crimson got a little healthier as it welcomed back Elle Stauffer and Gabby Anderson in consecutive outings.  Returning to the court following injuries for the first time since February 18 and January 14, respectively, Stauffer and Anderson both notched their first points of the season against the River Hawks. 
• Rodriguez, who had a breakout season last year, continues to be dominant presence all-around for the Crimson.  The junior is averaging 11.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game through the first eleven contests.  In 2023-24, Rodriguez has scored in double figures eight times and has led the team in rebounding and assists in seven games each.  While shooting 54.3% from the field, Rodriguez ranks second in the Ivy League. 
• Mullaney is out to a hot start in her senior season by currently averaging career bests in points (15.5), rebounds (4.5), assists (1.7), and steals (1.6) through the first eleven games.  In the month of December alone, Mullaney is averaging 18.5 points per game on 41.8% shooting.  The senior is currently sitting with 248 career three-pointers and is on pace to break the Harvard women's basketball three-point record by averaging 2.7 threes per game. 
• With five field goals against the River Hawks, Mullaney cracked the Harvard women's basketball top-ten with 470 career field goals.
• The senior co-captain is a constant presence on the court for the Crimson as Mullaney averages the third greatest number of minutes in the Ivy League and ninth highest in the country with 36.4 minutes per game. 
• The Crimson first-years have made an immediate impact this season with Mary Hollensteiner, Karlee White, and Abigail Wright all having appeared in each of the team's first ten games.  Hollensteiner has proven her shooting abilities early and led the team in scoring in their win over Quinnipiac.  White has started every game for the Crimson and has begun to blossom on both the offensive and defensive ends.  Lastly, Wright averages nearly 20 minutes a game and is contributing 7.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per appearance. 
• In the Ivy League the Crimson rank second in points per game (71.8), assists (14.6), three-point field goals (7.0), and third in field goal percentage (42.5%).
• Not allowing its opponents to have the same success from behind the three-point arc, the Crimson rank first in the league in three-point percentage defense, holding its opponents to 28.1% from three.
• The Crimson season will consist of 13 non-conference match ups before it begins conference play on Saturday, January 6 against Yale. 
• Thursday's match up will be the 22 all-time meeting between Harvard and URI.  The Crimson hold a 12-9 advantage in the series and have one the last two contest. 
• The game will serve as a rematch for last years WNIT Super 16 battle in which Harvard won, 74-63, to make history and advance to the Great 8. 

Next Up

The Crimson will conclude 2023 and its nonconference slate on Sunday, December 31 as it takes on University of Delaware.  The New Year's tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. at the Bob Carpenter Center and on FloHoops.