CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard women's basketball (17-3, 6-2 Ivy) opens a three-game road tilt with its second back-to-back against Cornell (6-15, 2-6 Ivy) and Columbia (17-4, 8-0 Ivy) this weekend.  Beginning on Friday, February 14, the Crimson will face off against the Big Red at 6:00 p.m. ET inside Newman Arena and on ESPN+.  Following a day's rest, Harvard will return for another nationally televised battle on ESPNU with Columbia on Sunday, February 16, at 12:00 p.m. ET inside Levien Gymnasium. 

What to Know

• The Crimson opened its 2024-25 season with 12 non-conference contests before starting its annual 14-game Ivy League slate in January. 
• Harvard played five of its 12 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 two December games closed out its home non-conference slate.  Harvard faced URI and then officially concluded its non-conference schedule with a 60-point win over BU and the cancellation of its contest versus Delaware.    
• For just the third time in program history, the Crimson have started its season 17-3.  Harvard's start is only matched by the 1997-98 and 2016-17 teams.    
• Three of the Crimson non-conference victories came against Power Four opponents, beating No. 25 Indiana, Boston College, and Northwestern in consecutive weeks. 
• Most recently, the Crimson hosted Dartmouth and dropped the Big Green in convincing fashion, 66-31.    
• Harmoni Turner continues to receive nationally recognition, most recently being named a semifinalist for the 2025 Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Award and being selected on the 2025 Jersey Mike's Naismith Women's Player of the Year Midseason Team.  Last week she was named one of 10 finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year Award and to the midseason watch list for the USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year Award. 
• For the 13^th time this season and in program history and for the 13^th straight week, Harvard is receiving votes in the most recent AP Top 25 poll.  The Crimson continues to rise as it received its most votes yet with 10 in week 10 of the 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 has continued to rise, reaching as high as No. 32. 
• After its first 20 contests, the Crimson ranks seventh in turnover margin (8.8), 11^th in three point percentage defense (25.5%), 13^th in free throw percentage (78.0%), 21^st in scoring margin (19.2), 18^th in turnovers per game (12.5), 25^th in turnovers forced per game (21.2), 32^nd in steals per game (11.1), and 39^th in field goal percentage defense (37.2%).  As a whole, the Crimson ranks as the top scoring defense in the country, holding opponents to an average of 51.9 points per game.   
• The Crimson has cemented itself as a title contender in the Ivy League with its 17-3 start.  Within the league Harvard ranks first in scoring defense (51.9), scoring margin (19.2), opponent field goal percentage (37.2%), opponent three-point field goal percentage (25.5%), turnover margin (8.8), and steals (11.1).  Additionally, it ranks second in scoring offense (71.0) and offensive rebounds (13.4). 
• Harmoni Turner currently ranks 12^th in points per game (21.2), nationally.  Additionally, on the defensive end the senior ranks 14^th in steals per game with 3.1.    
• The Crimson has three players inside the top six of steals in the Ivy League, led by Turner with the most in the conference with 3.1 per game and followed by Gabby Anderson in fourth with 1.7 per game and rounded out with Elena Rodriguez in sixth with 1.6 steals per game.    
• After leading her team to a historic start, Carrie Moore was one of 10 coaches named to the 2025 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Midseason Watch List. 
• Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Katie Krupa was elected as team captain by her teammates. 
• The Crimson currently holds a 76-13 lead in the all-time series versus the Big Red, including having won the last six match ups. 
• Harvard is looking to get back in the win column versus the Columbia Lions as it has fallen in the last five meetings despite historically dominating the series, 65-15. 

Next Up

Harvard will remain on the road for a one-game weekend next week, taking on the Brown Bears on Saturday, February 22.  Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. in Providence, RI and on ESPN+.