Harvard women's basketball garners first Ivy League WNIT win

Brogan Berry and Christine Clark combine for 49 points as the Crimson defeat Hofstra, 73-71.

The women's basketball team celebrates their victory over Hofstra last night as they became the first team in Ivy League history to record a win in the WNIT.

The women's basketball team celebrates their victory over Hofstra last night as they became the first team in Ivy League history to record a win in the WNIT. | Photograph by Brian Ballweg

All is not lost for Harvard basketball. As the men’s team fell to Vanderbilt in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the women’s basketball team made their own history Thursday night by defeating Hofstra 73-71 at the Women's National Invitational Tournament, to become the first team in Ivy League history to record a win in the WNIT. With the victory in hand, Harvard advances to the tournament's second round and will face Temple this Saturday, March 17, at 6 p.m. in Philadelphia.

Star senior guard and co-captain Brogan Berry and sophomore guard Christine Clark combined for 49 points, with Berry scoring 19 of her 26 points on 7-of-8 shooting while going 4-of-5 from three-point range in the first half. She finished the game shooting 9-of-16 from the field and 5-of-9 from the three-point line, and added five rebounds and four assists, moving her into sole possession of second place in Harvard history and fourth place in the Ivy League with 521 career assists. Berry is now the twenty-seventh leading scorer in Ancient Eight annals, with 1,437 points, and is tied with former teammate Christine Matera '11 for the program record with 115 appearances, according to Ivy League Sports. Clark went 9-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-5 from three for her 23 points, and added seven rebounds.

“It was a phenomenal team effort and everyone was feeling it tonight,” Berry said on video after the game. 

Update 3-20-12: According to Ivy League Sports: The Harvard women’s basketball team turned an 11-point second-half deficit into a four-point lead, but could not hold on down the stretch as Temple outscored the Crimson 6-3 in the final 1:17 to earn a 64-59 win Saturday in the second round of the WNIT. Berry scored a team-high 21 points with three assists and two steals.

Related topics

You might also like

Crimson Football: Harvard 14, Brown 10

Xaden Benson’s “helmet trick” was the decisive factor in the Ivy opener.

Harvard’s Cross-Country and Track-and-Field Teams Aim for Repeat Success

After a historic 2025-26 season, athletes eye NCAA championships.

Can Harvard’s Football Team Repeat Its Ivy League Success?

Despite personnel losses, Crimson captain Xaviah Bascon is upbeat about the 2026 season.

Most popular

Trump Administration Will Investigate Alleged Visa Fraud at Harvard

The announcement comes two days after a federal appeals court heard arguments about an international students ban.

Harvard Alumni Win Two 2026 Nobel Prizes

Karl Deisseroth revolutionized neuroscience. Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has adjudicated cases in international courts concerning genocide.

A Play for the Ages Propels Crimson Football to Victory

Dick Friedman on Harvard’s 20-17 win over Colgate

Explore More From Current Issue

A glowing bulb shape surrounded by colorful, swirling energy lines against a blue background.

Harvard researchers achieve medical breakthroughs in cancer therapy and infection control.

University Hall with steps and the John Harvard statue, surrounded by trees and a grassy lawn.

Long-discussed reorganization includes layoffs and the end of the Dudley Community.

A smiling William C. Kirby in a suit with glasses stands outdoors, surrounded by greenery.

The president of Harvard Magazine’s Board of Directors will step down in September.