Box Score Cambridge, Mass. - The Harvard women's basketball team (16-10, 9-5 Ivy) defeated the Big Green of Dartmouth (2-26, 0-14 Ivy) by a score of 64-40 for the team's senior game.
Today's game honored the four Crimson seniors, McKenzie Forbes, Maggie McCarthy, Annie Stritzel and Gabby Donaldson, for their huge impact on the Harvard women's basketball program throughout their time in Cambridge. Head Coach Carrie Moore says of the seniors "I couldn't have asked for a better foursome to help lay the foundation and lead the charge in this new era of Harvard women's basketball. They have tremendous faith in me as their coach, our staff, and this team and all that we can accomplish. I am so incredibly proud of how they've navigated this senior season full of adversity and change. Their impact on this program and this campus community has been tremendous individually and collectively over the years and they will forever be remembered because of it. I love them all and I'm eternally grateful to be their coach. Believe that!"
Forbes started her final game in Lavietes Pavilion with a three, followed by Harmoni Turner hitting from three as well to bring the Crimson up 6-0. Forbes had nine points by the end of the quarter as the Crimson led by 14, 20-6.
Forbes hit double digits while first-year Katie Krupa got on the board early in the second quarter. The Crimson had shot 43.5% over Dartmouth's 20.8% halfway through the game to go into the locker up by over twice the Big Green's score, 33-16.
Harvard had a slower start to the third quarter, playing defense for a majority of the first five minutes but holding the Big Green to only two points in that time. Elena Rodriguez made the first field goal of the quarter with McCarthy putting points on the board shortly after. Harvard held a 20-point lead through the third to end the quarter 46-26.
The Crimson increased their lead in the final ten minutes of play, as Mullaney and Rodriguez joined Forbes in double digits, scoring throughout the first half of the quarter. Donaldson added points to the board and Forbes hit her fifth three as Harvard won by 24 points, 64-40.
Harvard Highlights
- Forbes led the team on her senior day with 22 points, shooting 5-for-10 from three and 8-for-21 from the floor. She was one three shy of her career high in her final game at home.
- Mullaney and Rodriguez followed Forbes and joined her in double digits with 10 points each.
- Rodriguez pulled down a career high 16 rebounds to post a double double and lead the team, followed by Glenn-Bello with eight rebounds and Forbes with six. Harvard pulled down 45 rebounds over Dartmouth's 26 throughout the night.
- Rodriguez led the team in assists as well, dishing out five through the night.
- Harvard held the lead for 100% of the game from Forbes' first three nine seconds into the game.
- Rodriguez tied her career-high blocks with three against the Big Green while Harvard out-blocked Dartmouth five to one.
- All three active seniors started for the Crimson and scored at least two points each throughout the game in Forbes, Donaldson and McCarthy.
- Donaldson tied her career high two steals in her final game at home.
- With today's win over Dartmouth, Harvard now leads the all-time series 55-36. This win pushes the Crimson to 2-0 over the Big Green in the 2022-23 season and extends their win streak against Dartmouth to five.
- The Crimson are now 9-5 in conference play and sit tied for second with Penn as they head into the Ivy Madness Tournament next week. The second-place tie is the highest the Crimson have finished in regular season play in eight years.
Up Next
Harvard will enter the Ivy Madness tournament next week with game one of the tournament being played on Friday, March 10. The game will stream on ESPN+.
