Harvard Women’s Basketball Extends Winning Streak to Three with 78-65 Victory Over UMass

Harvard women’s basketball came out firing on all cylinders against the University of Massachusetts Amherst and never looked back, powering past the Minutewomen 78-65 in a wire-to-wire victory at Lavietes Pavilion.

The Crimson (3-1) torched UMass (1-2) for 28 first-quarter points — the program’s highest mark in an opening period since it scored 28 first-frame points in a 78-57 road victory against the Minutewomen nearly three years ago to the day. The host started the game with a 12-0 run and forced eight turnovers in the first quarter, where Harvard outscored UMass 28-15.

“I just felt like it was just a really gritty effort,” head coach Carrie Moore said. “I thought we punched first, which is what you want to do at home, and allowed us to play with a really nice cushion there for the majority of the game.”

That cushion proved important as the Minutewomen fought valiantly to close the gap after halftime. Powered by a raucous section of traveling fans sitting directly behind its bench, the visitors came out of the break with renewed physicality and defensive pressure, forcing Harvard to adjust.

Despite the heightened pressure, timely stops and baskets were key to the Crimson maintaining its lead. After starting the third quarter with a 43-28 lead, Harvard never let UMass cut the deficit to fewer than eight points.

“A lot about just being confident and being composed against them,” Moore said when asked about responding to the Minutewomen’s pressure. “They want to speed you up, and press, and turn you over. I thought we responded with the composure we needed”

Forward and captain Abigail Wright led Harvard with a game-high 22 points on nine-for-15 shooting, adding five rebounds. The Newton, Mass., native was especially effective on the fast break, getting downcourt early and often to beat the Minutewomen’s defense to the cup.

The Crimson outscored UMass 16-5 on fast-break points, which was spearheaded by the playmaking of captain guard Karlee White and sophomore guard Olivia Jones, who each had five assists.

Alongside their handful of assists, Jones and White recorded stellar performances from the backcourt, leading Harvard’s effective run-and-jump defense for most of the first half. Jones delivered an impressive all-around performance, recording 13 points, 10 rebounds, and six steals, while White contributed 17 points, six rebounds, and three steals.

Harvard came out firing on both ends of the court, using its aggressive defense to force turnovers and create easy offensive opportunities off of transitions.

Guard and captain Mary Hollensteiner opened the scoring with a quick-release three-pointer off an assist from White just 44 seconds into the game. The Crimson continued to utilize its full-court man pressure, with Jones and White each recording early steals. White converted a putback layup before Jones added another steal and found Wright for a fast-break layup, putting Harvard ahead 7-0 and forcing UMass to call a timeout just 1:23 into the game.

The break didn’t slow the Crimson, which continued to apply pressure on both ends. White knocked down a quick three to extend the lead to 10-0, and Wright followed with a pair of free throws to make it 12-0 before the Minutewomen finally got on the scoreboard.

“Turning defense into offense is our identity,” Wright said. “We knew they were going to press hard, but we threw that right back at them too.”

Wright added that the early defensive success helped energize the team and establish its rhythm for the remainder of the game.

Even after UMass began creating offensive opportunities, Harvard maintained its signature fast pace of play. Wright repeatedly got down the court for layups, while White helped facilitate the offense with four first-quarter assists.

The Crimson also had early success from beyond the arc. After struggling from three-point range in its previous game against Holy Cross, Harvard connected on its first three attempts from deep, including a three-pointer from Jones off a pass from White. Junior guard Alayna Rocco later added another three-pointer as the Crimson continued to build its lead.

Jones credited Harvard’s strong defensive start to the team’s emphasis on defense in practice and scouting. Against the Minutewomen, the team was prepared to face junior guard Yahmani McKayle.

“We kind of pride ourselves on defense every day in practice,” Jones said. “Pressuring their smaller guard, who’s a point guard, who’s a really good point guard. Pressuring her and making her uncomfortable was definitely a focus point for us.”

The visitors managed to cut into the deficit in the closing seconds, with McKayle hitting a jumper just before the buzzer. Still, the Crimson entered the second quarter with a dominant 28-15 lead.

Harvard struggled to maintain the offensive efficiency it displayed in the opening quarter. White missed three consecutive shots early in the quarter, while the Minutewomen began hitting threes.

With just under seven minutes remaining in the half, junior guard Ayanna Franks connected on a three-pointer from the left corner. Less than a minute later, Franks knocked down another three, cutting Harvard’s lead to 32-23 and forcing the Crimson to call its first timeout of the game.

But the Crimson responded out of the timeout. White converted a driving layup while junior forward Asani Ceaser added another basket off an assist from junior guard Lydia Chatira. With two and a half minutes remaining in the half, Hollensteiner knocked down her second three-pointer of the night, extending Harvard’s lead to 41-24.

Although UMass found more success offensively in the second quarter, the Crimson continued to capitalize on its defensive pressure, entering halftime ahead 43-28. Harvard forced 12 first-half turnovers and scored 21 points off of those, compared to just two points off turnovers in the first half by the Minutewomen.

The Crimson returned from halftime looking to build on its 15-point advantage, but UMass began to challenge Harvard with aggressive defensive pressure and a more physical approach on both ends of the court.

Wright helped Harvard maintain its lead with a scoop layup through traffic, while White created space off the dribble for a mid-range jumper. The Minutewomen kept fighting back, using their press to force turnovers and create scoring opportunities.

With 5:50 remaining in the quarter, Franks knocked down a three-pointer following a Harvard turnover, cutting the Crimson’s lead to 49-40. Wright responded with a turnaround jumper before adding another layup off an assist from White to help Harvard regain momentum.

Sophomore guard Aubrey Shaw later connected on a three-pointer to extend the lead to 56-42, but UMass continued to find success around the basket and from the free-throw line. Jones added a floating jumper in the closing minutes, helping Harvard enter the final quarter up 62-49.

Despite the Crimson’s efforts, the Minutewomen outscored Harvard 21-19 in the third, setting up a competitive final 10 minutes.

The Minutewomen opened the fourth quarter with a step-back jumper from Franks before sophomore guard Aiyanna Perkins stole the ball and made a layup, cutting Harvard’s lead to 62-53 just 24 seconds into the quarter.

Even though Hollensteiner responded with a layup, UMass continued to chip away at the deficit as its fans grew increasingly supportive of the underdogs. With around seven minutes left, Franks converted an and-one to bring the visitors within eight points, matching their smallest deficit of the second half.

But the Crimson responded with a strong offensive showing. Chatira drove to the basket for a layup before White finished through a foul off an assist from Jones, but missed her and-one free-throw attempt. Minutes later, Jones grabbed an offensive rebound following a missed Wright layup and had a putback while drawing the and-one, which she converted.

Jones completed the three-point play to extend Harvard’s lead to 73-58 with five minutes left, ending any chance of a UMass comeback.

The play demonstrated the sophomore’s guard impact throughout the game.

“She might not score 30, but she does every little thing that you can possibly ask of a kid when it comes to winning basketball games,” Moore said of Jones. “Not pretty, but it’s always going to be gritty with her.”

As UMass continued to put pressure on Harvard, the Crimson relied on its experience to stop individual mistakes from turning into extended scoring runs.

“It’s not about the mistake; it’s now the next play, and it’s about the response,” Moore said. “Every possession has a life of its own, and you have the choice to respond.”

Wright similarly emphasized the importance of staying connected as the Minutewomen attempted to close the gap.

“We just talk about staying together. Who’s going to be the more connected team?” Wright said. “That’s kind of what gets us through.”

Both teams finished with 16 fourth-quarter points, allowing Harvard to win 78-65 and extend its winning streak to three games.

The Crimson will host the Big Ten’s Michigan State (3-0) on Sunday, Nov. 15, for a rematch of the 2025 NCAA Tournament’s Round of 64, where the Spartans won, 64-50. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST at Lavietes Pavilion.

—Staff writer Samuel S. Rudavsky can be reached at [email protected].

—Staff writer Tamar H. Scheinfeld can be reached at [email protected].