Princeton Outlasts Harvard In Overtime, 63-58

Saturday, February 4

Princeton, N.J.

6:00 p.m.

Princeton University

9-9 (3-2Ivy)

Harvard

16-3 (4-2Ivy)

OT 1

Harvard

Princeton

Photo by: Noel Valero

February 04, 2017 | Women's Basketball

Box Score

PRINCETON, N.J. – Sophomore Gabrielle Rush's three-pointer with 1:33 left in overtime put the Princeton Tigers ahead for good as they defeated the Harvard Crimson, 63-58, at the Jadwin Gym on Saturday evening.

Rush scored a game-high and career-high 18 points including four treys. Junior Leslie Robinson dropped in her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 15 rebounds, matching a personal best. Freshman Bella Alarie had another sparkling all-around contest with 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks in the win.

A layup from Robinson with 4:47 to go in the first quarter put Princeton in front, 6-3, but Harvard pushed ahead, scoring the final 10 points of the frame to take a 13-6 advantage. Princeton only mustered two buckets during that stretch.

Trailing by eight in the second quarter, head coach Courtney Banghart's unit rattled off a 9-5 counter to get back within five (22-17) at the 5:35 mark. Three-pointers on consecutive possessions from Harvard's Katie Benzan put the road team back ahead by double-digits (28-17). The Tigers scored the last four points of the stanza and trailed 31-25 at the half.

Princeton put the clamps down on the defensive end in the third quarter, holding Harvard to just one basket on 14 attempts (7.1 percent). The Tigers rolled off a 15-0 run, spearheaded by Alarie and Rush's combined 11 points. The freshman's three-pointer put the Tigers ahead….

End of Third: Tigers rattle off 15 straight, take a 44-36 lead after 30 minutes. #GoTigers #TigerUp #PathToThePalestra pic.twitter.com/zsH9UySrYU
— Princeton WBB (@PrincetonWBB) February 5, 2017

In the third quarter, Princeton outscored Harvard by 14 (19-5) taking a 44-36 lead into the final frame. The home squad also held a 20-6 rebound advantage (nine offensive) and blocked four shots.

Seven consecutive points from the Crimson including six from Destiny Nunley put them back in front, 50-49, with 5:04 remaining in the game. A free throw from Alarie retied the contest at 50-all.

After a basket from Harvard's Madeline Raster set the score at 52-50 (1:40), Robinson scooped up an offensive rebound and tied the game for a third time. The Crimson countered on the next trip down the floor, but again Robinson came through as she scored in the paint, evening up the back-and-forth battle at 54-all. Princeton had two more shots to end the game in regulation, but couldn't knock one down.

Matched up at 56-all, Rush along the right side, launched a three-pointer to put the Tigers up in the overtime frame…

FINAL:Rush's three-pointer puts the Tigers in front for good, Princeton takes home a 63-58 OT victory! #GoTigers #TigerUp #PathToThePalestra pic.twitter.com/y3d30M5z1M
— Princeton WBB (@PrincetonWBB) February 5, 2017

On the following possession, Harvard got back within one on a fast-break layup from Raster, but Robinson kept the Crimson at distance with a basket. After a turnover, Rush sank two free throws to seal the victory for Princeton.

Benzan led the Crimson with 17 points while Raster contributed 13 points and Nunley added a double-double (11 points, 11 rebounds) in the loss.

Prior to the game, the Tigers honored over 30 alumni from over five decades for Alumni Weekend.

With the win, Princeton gets back to the .500 mark at 9-9 overall and now sits 3-2 in the Ivy League. Harvard, who came in with a RPI of 20, drops to 16-3 and 4-2 in the conference. The Tigers will get busy with a road trip to Cornell (Feb. 10, 7:00 p.m.) and Columbia (Feb. 11, 6:00 p.m.) next weekend.