QUEENS, N.Y. – A massive third quarter and a last second bucket from
Harmoni Turner helped Harvard women's basketball (9-1, 0-0 Ivy) hand St. John's (6-1, 0-0 Big East) its first loss of the season with a 54-52 result on Thanksgiving Day.
Turner led all Crimson scorers with 27 points on 10-of-22 shooting, along with six rebounds and four steals.
Elena Rodriguez had an all-around performance consisting of 15 points on 7-of-15 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal to contribute strong minutes in the Crimson seventh straight win.
How it Happened
The Crimson struggled to connect on the offensive end to open the contest, totaling 14 points through the first two quarters. Despite its shooting setbacks, Harvard remained within single digits heading into the locker room due to its consistent defensive presence. The Crimson forced nine St. John's turnovers, recorded five steals, and gave up 23 points to trail by nine after 20 minutes.
The game was a tale of two halves as the Crimson came out of the locker room on fire. Less than 30 seconds into the half,
Lydia Chatira drained a triple to ignite Harvard's offense. A minute later, Turner took over, knocking down three consecutive triples to fully shift momentum and give Harvard its first lead at 26-25. The Crimson run grew out to 12 as Rodriguez grabbed a bucket and the foul. In the second half of the frame, Harvard held the Red Storm scoreless for nearly four minutes to build a double-digit advantage at 41-30. Ultimately, the Crimson took full control of the game with its 29-point third quarter and entered the final ten minutes with a 43-34 lead.
St. John's chipped into the lead throughout the fourth frame but were never able to retake a lead. Two Turner free throws had the Crimson up by five with a minute and a half to go before a pair of St. John's layups pulled them within one. Late-game free throws from both squads brought the game to 52-all with seven seconds remaining and the ball in the hands of the Crimson. After receiving the in-bounds pass, Turner sped past her defender, taking the ball the length of the court and kissing a layup off the glass through contact to put Harvard back in front as the clock ran out. With less than a second put back on the clock, the Red Storm was unable to get a shot at the tie, solidifying the Crimson win and ultimately its second-best start in program history.
Harvard Highlights
- Harvard closes its first month of action with a 9-1 record, marking the second best start in program history behind only its 16-1 season opening run in 2016-17.
- Harmoni Turner led all scorers with 27 points on 10-of-22 shooting. 23 of Turner's 27 points came in the second half to help Harvard complete the comeback. The senior also added six rebounds and a team-high four steals in the contest.
- Elena Rodriguez registered her second straight double figure performance, adding 15 points on 7-of-15 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
- The Crimson won the rebounding battle, grabbing 40 boards to the Red Storm's 29. Harvard was led on the glass by Saniyah Glenn-Bello grabbing a season-best nine boards. Rodriguez, Turner, and Gabby Anderson each collected five or more rebounds in the game.
- Harvard's defense continues to smother teams as the Crimson forced the Red Storm into their highest turnover total of the season with 17.
- With the victory, the Crimson handed the Red Storm its first loss of the season while also snapping a two-game losing streak to the foe. Harvard is now 2-3 all-time against St. John's.
Next Up
Harvard will return to Cambridge for three straight home contests beginning with University of Rhode Island on Saturday, December 7. Tip-off against the Rams is set for 2:00 p.m. inside Lavietes Pavilion and on ESPN+.
