Harvard's defense suffocates Penn women's basketball in 73-44 blowout loss

Outworked, outmatched, and outdone.

In as deflating a match as any, Penn fell victim to a league-leading Harvard defense. Strangling all life out of the Quakers by scoring 17 points on 16 turnovers, the Crimson held the Red and Blue to just 44 points in a 73-44 blowout loss. 

The team struggled to find open looks with senior guard Stina Almqvist and sophomore guard Mataya Gayle having inefficient afternoons. As the season progresses, all focus is on finding who can step up to support Penn’s star duo as the team attempts to bounce back from a 1-3 start in conference play.

“[Almqvist and Gayle] have the ball in their hands a lot,” Coach Mike McLaughlin said regarding the team's offense. “There’s a lot of stress, we need someone to emerge.”

The game began with a punch as Harvard (14-2, 3-1 Ivy) buried their first three shots, all from deep range, to put up nine within the first three minutes. Penn (10-7, 1-3 Ivy) responded with an Almqvist fadeaway and assist to keep the score close, which was complimented by an early three from junior guard Simone Sawyer. Despite this, scoring from both sides soon slowed. 

Each team, marred by stout defensive play, found themselves in a deadlock. Harvard, who leads the Ivy League in points allowed, repeatedly frustrated the Quakers into turnovers. However, Harvard was initially unable to find a groove on offense either.

Starting the second quarter tied at 13, Harvard guard Elena Rodriguez made the difference. 

Fearing the Crimson’s three-point threat from earlier in the game, freshman forward Katie Collins was left to guard Rodriquez one-on-one in the paint. Rodriquez went 4-for-5 in the quarter on a mixture of layups, hook shots, and midrange jumpers, while the Quakers continued to struggle offensively. The Quakers would end the second frame shooting 26.7%  from the field while Rodriguez’s hot shooting dragged Harvard out of a rout. Despite struggling, the half would end with Penn only down eight, 31-23.

“I loved the way we played in the first quarter,” McLaughlin said. “Second quarter I thought we played well, we just didn’t score it … I thought we lost control of the game in the third quarter.”

Despite the relatively positive start, the Quakers would soon crumble under the weight of the Crimson’s defense — tall, physical, and willing to switch on the perimeter and under the basket. Penn could only find one field goal for the first seven minutes of the third quarter. Harvard, on the other hand, found a rhythm and began turning their defense to offense on the other end with transition buckets. 

Rodriguez continued to dominate in the paint, scoring 12 more in the third – finishing the match as the leading scorer with 22. At the same time, Almqvst and Collins struggled to stop her down low. The Quakers ended the quarter with a combined eight turnovers and personal fouls, with only nine scored on the other end. With the game seemingly out of reach, the Crimson further controlled pace on both sides of the floor — preventing open looks at the rim while strolling to the basket on offense.

Up 22 by the end of the third, Harvard would check its backups in before the halfway mark of the final frame — a show of dominance in a heated rivalry. Almqvist was the only Quaker to reach double-digit scoring before garbage time with Harvard outscoring Penn in the second half with their third quarter efforts alone.

“When you play against this level of talent, you have to be consistently bringing it,” McLaughlin said. “I don't think we played a good 40 [minutes], but I think we play hard … it was an offensive struggle for us.”

Penn will look to bounce back this upcoming Saturday, Jan. 25, playing Columbia for the second time this season.