ITHACA, N.Y. – Harvard women's basketball fell short of its second Ivy League Tournament Championship this evening with a 63-53 loss to top-seeded No. 23 Princeton (26-3, 12-2 Ivy) at Newman Arena in Ithaca, N.Y.

The Crimson was paced by Karlee White and Olivia Jones who each scored in double figures, pulled down eight rebounds, and recorded a handful of steals in the contest.

How it Happened

Harvard struggled with the Tigers' pressure in the opening quarter, committing a handful of turnovers but its defense kept the score within reach. Karlee White notched her first bucket of the game in the waning seconds of the frame to help cut the deficit to eight at the conclusion of the first.

The Crimson continued to push in the opening moments of the second quarter, getting within four at the 6:18 mark. Princeton grew its lead back out throughout the rest of the frame, however, extending its lead to 12. Nina Emnace provided a potential momentum shift in the final seconds of the quarter, knocking down a triple in the final seconds to trail 33-24 heading into the locker room.

Carrying the energy shift into the second half, Harvard again used an early push to cut the deficit to four. Princeton responded with its own run and regained its double-digit advantage. Harvard ultimately won the final frame 13-10 to trail 43-37 with ten minutes to play.

The Crimson staged a comeback in the fourth quarter, going on a 10-2 run in the first five minutes, tying the contest at 47-all and again twice more down the stretch. Unfortunately, after tying the contest at 51-all off a White tip-in, the Crimson wouldn't record another field goal for the remainder of the contest. A 12-2 Tigers run in the final three minutes would seal the championship game for Princeton.

Harvard Highlights

• Karlee White provided another strong performance for the Crimson with a team-high 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting, eight rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
• After two strong performances, White was named to the Ivy League All-Tournament Team.
• In her first Ivy League Tournament Championship, Olivia Jones contributed 13 points, eight rebounds, and two steals.
• Katie Krupa added six points, six rebounds, four assists, and a block in her first Ivy League Tournament appearance.
• The Crimson has appeared in the Ivy League Tournament Championship in three of the last four years.

Next Up

The Crimson awaits its postseason fate with selection Sunday for postseason tournaments looming.