CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's basketball (10-1, 0-0 Ivy) return from its two-week hiatus this weekend to face crosstown foe, Boston University (5-4, 0-0 Patriot).  Tip-off is set for 12:00 p.m. inside Lavietes Pavilion and on ESPN+.   

What to Know

• The Crimson will open its 2024-25 season with 13 non-conference contests before starting its annual 14-game Ivy League slate in January. 
• Harvard will play six of its 13 out-of-conference match ups inside Lavietes Pavilion, having started on opening night with UMass-Amherst and followed by Boston College and Northeastern. The Crimson only three December games will close out its home non-conference slate.  Harvard faced URI to open the month on the seventh and will close out action against Boston University (Dec. 21) and Delaware (Dec. 30). 

• For just the second time in program history, the Crimson have started its season 10-1.  The feat has only been matched and bested by a 16-1 start in the 2016-17 season. 
• Three of the Crimson non-conference victories have come against Power Four opponents, beating No. 25 Indiana, Boston College, and Northwestern in consecutive weeks. 
• In its last time out, Harvard reached double digit wins on the year, downing Rhode Island, 60-48. 
• For the fifth time this season and in program history and for the fourth straight week, Harvard is receiving votes in the most recent AP Top 25 poll.
• In the first NET Rankings of the season Harvard checking in at No. 36.  The ranking marked the current highest in the Ivy League and the highest in program history, topping its previous best of 58 from last season.  Since then, the Crimson have continued to move up, now ranking No. 34. 
• After its first 11 contests, the Crimson ranks 16th in the country in turnover margin at 8.3, 38^th in steals per game with 11.5, 37^th in turnovers forced per game by averaging 21.5, and 73^rd with 4.1 blocks per game.  As a whole, the Crimson defense is the 46^th ranked scoring defense in the country, holding opponents to an average of 55.7 points per game. 
• The Crimson has cemented itself as a title contender in the Ivy League with its 10-1 start.  Within the league Harvard ranks first in scoring defense (55.7), scoring margin (14.0), turnover margin (8.3), and steals (11.6).  Additionally, it ranks second in opponent three-point percentage (34.2%), three pointers per game (8.0), and blocks (4.1). 
• Harmoni Turner currently ranks 11^th in points per game (21.4), 13^th in points (235), and 20^th in field goals made (83), nationally.  Additionally, on the defensive end the senior ranks sixth in steals with 37 and 10^th in steals per game with 3.4. 
• The Crimson has three players inside the top 10 of steals in the Ivy League, led by Turner with the most in the conference with 3.4 per game and followed by Anderson with 2.0 per game and Elena Rodriguez with 1.6 per game. 
• Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Katie Krupa was elected as team captain by her teammates. 
• The Crimson holds a 22-16 advantage in the all-time series against Boston University. 
• Harvard will look to extend its lead in the series and avenge its 77-80 loss from last season. 

Next Up

Following the holiday break, the Crimson will conclude its non-conference season against Delaware on Monday, December 30.  Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m. inside Lavietes Pavilion and on ESPN+.