Women Score Stunning NCAA Victory at Stanford

It marked another history-making chapter for Harvard athletics.

With last Saturday's stunning 71-67 victory over Stanford in Palo Alto, Calif., the Harvard women's basketball team became the first-ever No. 16 seed to defeat a top-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Ivy League champion Crimson fed off the play of senior forward Allison Feaster, who collected 35 points and 13 rebounds and cemented her reputation as one of the nation's top players as a national television audience looked on. Feaster helped Harvard build a 43-34 halftime lead, then made several big plays in the second half -- including a steal in the final minute -- as the Crimson withstood a late Stanford rally.

While Feaster stood out from start to finish, it was junior forward Suzie Miller who put Harvard over the top. Miller nailed a 16-foot jumper with 1:32 remaining to give the Crimson the lead for good at 66-65, then followed with a three-pointer from the left corner that secured the dramatic upset.

"I'm very, very happy," said Harvard head coach Kathy Delaney Smith during the post-game press conference. "No one thought that we could do this except us, and I'm extremely proud of what our team was able to accomplish. And it means as much for the Ivy League as it does for Harvard, because our League has had some great athletes and our top team has always been competitive in the NCAAs."

Harvard's bid at a second straight Tournament win was shot down on Monday by Arkansas, 82-64. Feaster, playing in her final collegiate game, again led the way with 28 points and 10 rebounds.

The Crimson completed the season at 23-5, and established a school record for victories. Feaster finishes as the nation's scoring leader, averaging 28.5 ppg, and earns the distinction of becoming the first Ivy League player -- man or woman -- to lead the country in scoring.