December 2, 2009
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Four Crimson Players Score in Double Figures as Harvard Downs Holy Cross, 74-57

Brogan Berry was one of four Crimson to score in double figures. She had 16. Photo courtesy of Gil Talbot.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Four Crimson scored in double figures and Emma Markley recorded her first double-double of the season as the Harvard women’s basketball team rolled over Holy Cross, 74-57, Wednesday night at the Lavietes Pavilion. The Crimson improve to 4-3 overall and 3-0 at home.

Markley scored a game-high 18 points on an 8-for-16 effort and pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds. Sophomore Brogan Berry went 5-for-7 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free throw line for 16 points and handed out seven assists. Freshman Victoria Lippert added 13 and Christine Matera had 12, all from beyond the arc.

The Crimson ran out to a 19-0 lead to start the first half, holding the Crusaders scoreless for the first six minutes of the game. Holy Cross finally got on the board with a three-pointer from Brianna McFadden. Harvard extended its lead to as many as 23 during the first 21 minutes of play, shooting 57.1 percent from the field in the first stanza. The Crusaders cut the lead to 16, as Harvard took a 39-23 lead into the break.

Holy Cross started the second session off with a 14-1 run to pull to within 40-37 with 14:27 remaining in the game. A pair of Berry free throws, a Lippert trey and a bucket from Claire Wheeler allowed the Crimson to take regain a double-digit advantage. Alyssa May and McFadden brought the lead back to five, but that was as close as they would get as Harvard used an 11-2 run to take a 60-44 lead with eight minutes to play. Harvard held on to its lead, not letting the visiting team get closer than 13 in the final minutes of the game.

Harvard shot 48.3 percent from the field, 30 percent from beyond the arc and 80 percent at the charity stripe. Holy Cross shot 34 percent for the game. The Crimson won the battle on the glass, outrebounding the Crusaders, 37-30.

The Crimson host local rival Boston University Sunday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m.