NORTHEASTERN FALLS IN DOUBLE OVERTIME AT HARVARD

12/10/2009 2:00:00 AM

Harvard 90, Northeastern 85 (2OT)

Brittany Wilson's 34 points and 21 rebounds were not enough for Northeastern as the Huskies fell short in double overtime to Harvard 90-85 on Wednesday night. The game featured 13 ties and 12 lead changes and was the second double overtime game in as many games for the Huskies.

Northeastern jumped out to an 11-6 lead using the three ball with Jamie Conroy, Wilson and Kashaia Cannon each connecting from distance. Havard's Emma Markley would score six straight points to cut the Huskies lead to one, but NU's Kim Carr hit two field goals and Wilson converted a pair of free throws giving Northeastern a five point lead at 17-12.

Brogan Berry of Harvard hit a three pointer and Jackie Alemany put in a lay up to even the score at 17-all. The teams would trade the lead four times and tie three times until Wilson hit a lay up and drew the foul, putting the Huskies up 26-24. Wilson failed to knock down the free throw, but Rachael Pecota came up with the rebound off the miss and 36 seconds later, Wilson would get another shot at a three-point play, this time sinking the free throw to give Northeastern a 29-24 lead with 5:34 remaining. Harvard cut lead to one, but Wilson once again came through with a put-back giving the Huskies a 31-28 lead with under three minutes in the half.

The Harvard defense stepped up and held Northeastern without a field goal for the remainder of the half and Berry came alive offensively for the Crimson, scoring the team's final seven points to give Harvard a 35-31 lead at halftime. Berry ended the half with 17 points.

Wilson led Northeastern with 12 points and seven rebounds as the Huskies were held to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor in the first twenty minutes.

Harvard extended its lead to seven points to open the second half, but Wilson hit two lay ups in transition and Kendra Walton hit a three cutting the lead to just two at 40-38. Harvard would continue to hold a two-point lead until Markley hit a jumper giving the Crimson a 46-42 lead, but Walton hit another three, cutting the margin to one at 46-45.

Dani Iervolino gave the Huskies the lead, knocking down a three at 10:24, putting Northeastern up 48-46. Harvard promptly tied the game on a Claire Wheeler lay up and used it as a springboard to a 9-0 run to take a 55-48 lead. With 6:19 remaining, Walton hit her fourth three-pointer to cut the lead to two at 55-53. The Crimson held the two-point cushion until 3:26 when Wilson took it coast-to-coast to knot the game again at 59-59. The teams traded baskets to remain in a deadlock, and with one second left on the clock, Kashaia Cannon stole the ball at mid-court, but failed to get off a shot, sending the game into overtime.

The first two minutes of the first overtime didn't see any team gain an advantage until Berry hit a three at 3:04, giving Harvard a 70-67 lead in the extra frame. A Conroy lay up cut the lead to one and a Wilson basket with 1:15 on the clock gave NU a 71-70 lead. Northeastern would take a three point lead at 73-70 when Pecota nailed a jumper off the inbounds play.

Berry converted two free throws to make it 73-72, but on the other end, Cannon could only sink one of two from the line, keeping it a one point game. With three seconds left, Harvard's Victoria Lippert hit a jumper to tie the game at 74, sending the game to a second overtime, the Huskies second in as many games.

Again, both teams responded to each basket until the 2:39 mark when Lippert hit a jumper for Harvard to take an 82-80 lead that started a 6-0 run for the Crimson. A three by Cannon get the Huskies within three, but it was the closest Northeastern would get as Harvard used free throws to ice a 90-85 win.

Wilson's 34 points and 21 rebounds were both career-highs as she has reached the 30-point plateau for the second straight game. Wilson's 21 rebounds breaks a 22 year-old school record set by Carla Singleton on February 2, 1987.

Walton finished with 14 points and eight rebounds while Carr added 12 points and five rebounds for the Huskies, who fall to 5-3 on the season.

Harvard was led by Berry with 31 points while Lippert and Markley each had 21 points.

Northeastern returns to action on Sunday, December 13 taking on Hartford in a game that will be broadcast on CTSN at 2 p.m.