Harvard wins Ivy Tournament beating Columbia 74-71 to earn first NCAA Tournament bid since 2007
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Harmoni Turner scored 24 points and Harvard beat Columbia 74-71 on Saturday to win the Ivy League Tournament for the first time in school history.
It's the Crimson's first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2007.
Fittingly the back-and-forth game came down to the final few plays. Harvard led by five with 17.6 seconds left before Columbia scored three of the next four to get within 74-71.
The Crimson had a chance to seal it, but Elena Rodriguez missed a wide-open layup with 5.2 seconds left, giving Columbia once last opportunity. After a timeout, Riley Weiss took a 3-pointer from the wing that rimmed out just before the buzzer.
She finished with 21 points to lead the Lions.
Turner, who scored 44 points in the semifinal win over Princeton, earned the tournament MVP honors. She was the league's Player of the Year in the regular season.
Harvard (24-4) reached the finals of the Ivy Tournament for the second time in three years. The Crimson lost to Princeton in 2023.
Columbia (23-6), which won the outright regular season title for the first time in school history, lost in the title game for the third time in the past four years. Princeton beat them in 2022 and 2024.
Now the Lions will wait to see if they can get an at-large bid for the second consecutive year. Columbia made its first NCAA Tournament appearance last year as one of the last teams in the field of 68. The Lions lost to Vanderbilt in a play-in game.
It was the second time in league history that the conference got an at-large bid. This season the league could potentially get two at-large bids with Princeton also in the mix. That would be a first for the conference.
It was an entertaining first half that saw Harvard go up 34-26 behind Turner before the Lions closed to 44-42 at the break. The teams combined to hit eight of their final 10 shots, trading baskets for the final 3 minutes before the half.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Topics
-
Okereke scores 25 in Cornell's 87-71 win over Dartmouth in Ivy League Tournament
AK Okereke had 25 points in Cornell's 87-71 win over Dartmouth on Saturday in the Ivy League Tournament. Cornell, the tournament's No. 2 seed, will face top-seeded Yale in Sunday's championship ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
No. 1 Duke holds off furious North Carolina rally to win 74-71, reach ACC title game without Flagg
Kon Knueppel scored 17 points and No. 1 Duke held off a furious second half rally by rival North Carolina to beat its rival for the third time this season, 74-71 on Friday night to reach the ...Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Yale beats Cornell to win Ivy title, tourney berth
Regular-season champion Yale added the Ivy League Tournament title with a 90-84 win over Cornell on Sunday to earn a berth in the NCAA tournament.ESPN - 16h -
No. 1 Duke holds off furious North Carolina rally to win 74-71, reach ACC title game without Flagg
Kon Knueppel scored 17 points and No. 1 Duke held off a furious second half rally by North Carolina to beat its rival for the third time this season, 74-71 on Friday night to reach the Atlantic ...ABC News - 2d -
Poulakidas' 13 lead Yale over Princeton 59-57 in Ivy League Tournament
John Poulakidas had 13 points in top-seeded Yale's 59-57 win over fourth-seeded Princeton on Saturday in the Ivy League Tournament semifinals. Yale, the defending champion and seven-time NCAA ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Poulakidas' 5 3s help carry Yale past Cornell 90-84; Elis win Ivy title and claim the NCAA berth
John Poulakidas knocked down five 3-pointers in the second half as regular-season champion Yale added the Ivy League Tournament championship with a 90-84 win over Cornell on Sunday to earn a berth ...Yahoo Sports - 18h -
Poulakidas' 5 3s help carry Yale past Cornell 90-84; Elis win Ivy title and claim the NCAA berth
John Poulakidas knocked down five 3-pointers in the second half as regular-season champion Yale added the Ivy League Tournament championship with a 90-84 win over Cornell on Sunday to earn a berth ...ABC News - 18h -
Michigan State women's basketball gets 7-seed in March Madness, will play Harvard
Michigan State women's basketball (21-9) will be a 7-seed in the NCAA tournament and face Harvard in the first round.Yahoo Sports - 13h -
Duke survives, beats UNC for third time
As good as Duke’s first half was, the Blue Devils’ second half was nearly a disaster. Duke survived North Carolina’s second-half rally to win 74-71 in an ACC tournament semifinal game on Friday ...Yahoo Sports - 2d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Change is in the air as Ohio State opens spring practice
Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes opened spring practice on Monday.Yahoo Sports - 8m -
'Fantastic motivation' - Maresca on Club World Cup
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says the Club World Cup is a "fantastic motivation" as his side look to win the newly-expanded competition. The competition has been expanded to 32 teams, including 12 ...Yahoo Sports - 9m -
NJCAA Region 20 Semis Report
Truth Norton of Howard CC is but one standout reviewed plus more, relative to the Region 20 semifinals.Yahoo Sports - 9m -
In major WNBA trade, Natasha Cloud goes to Liberty for first-round pick
The defending champion New York Liberty have acquired three-time All-Defensive team honoree Natasha Cloud from the Sun for the No. 7 overall pick.Yahoo Sports - 11m -
Imps forward Makama has 'crazy' potential - Skubala
Jovon Makama's hat-trick against Bristol Rovers is a glimpse of the "crazy" potential he has, says Lincoln City boss Michael Skubala.Yahoo Sports - 11m
More in Sports
-
Tee Higgins extension: A look at highest-paid No. 2 WRs in NFL after Bengals star lands record-setting deal
Higgins is becoming the highest paid No. 2 wide receiver in footballCBS Sports - 7m -
Change is in the air as Ohio State opens spring practice
Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes opened spring practice on Monday.Yahoo Sports - 8m -
'Fantastic motivation' - Maresca on Club World Cup
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says the Club World Cup is a "fantastic motivation" as his side look to win the newly-expanded competition. The competition has been expanded to 32 teams, including 12 ...Yahoo Sports - 9m -
Bengals working to retain Trey Hendrickson after giving Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins massive deals, per reports
Cincy may end up keeping its star pass rusher after previously allowing him to seek tradeCBS Sports - 9m -
NJCAA Region 20 Semis Report
Truth Norton of Howard CC is but one standout reviewed plus more, relative to the Region 20 semifinals.Yahoo Sports - 9m