ITHACA, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a game defined by grit and a dramatic final sequence, the Penn Quakers edged the Harvard Crimson 62-60 in overtime Saturday in an Ivy League men’s basketball clash at Ben Light Gymnasium.

The contest, a defensive struggle witnessed by 2,277 fans, was the third meeting this season between the rivals, with each previous game also decided by three points or fewer. This chapter required an extra five minutes to settle, with Penn’s TJ Power providing the decisive plays.

Penn improved to 17-11 overall, while Harvard fell to 17-12.

The Quakers led for much of the game, taking a 30-26 advantage into halftime behind 11 first-half points from Power. The Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, native finished with a team-high 16 points in 43 minutes, adding two assists, a block and a critical steal. Harvard’s offense, often stymied by Penn’s defense, was kept afloat by the backcourt duo of Ben Eisendrath and Tey Barbour. Eisendrath, from Los Angeles, tallied 15 points and six assists, while Barbour, of Manassas, Virginia, matched Power’s game-high 16 points.

Penn maintained a narrow lead through much of the second half, but Harvard’s persistent defense and timely scoring slowly closed the gap. The Crimson finally drew even late in regulation, forcing overtime after both teams struggled to find a winning basket in the final minutes of the second half.

The overtime period was a tense, low-scoring affair, with Penn outscoring Harvard 9-7. The Quakers built a small cushion, but Harvard clawed back to within two points in the final seconds. The game’s most crucial sequence unfolded in the final 20 seconds of overtime. With Penn leading 60-58, Harvard’s Tey Barbour drove to the basket and converted a layup to tie the game at 60.

On the ensuing possession, Penn worked the ball to AJ Levine. The guard from Elmhurst, Illinois, who had 9 points, drove into the lane and hit a difficult layup with just five seconds remaining, putting the Quakers back ahead 62-60.

Harvard called a timeout to advance the ball and set up a final play. The inbounds pass went to Barbour, who launched a potential game-winning three-pointer from the wing as time expired. The shot missed its mark, securing the narrow victory for Penn.

Beyond Power, Penn received balanced scoring. Cam Thrower of Manhattan Beach, California, scored 11 points, while Michael Zanoni of Charlotte, North Carolina, added 11. For Harvard, Chandler Pigge of Houston contributed 9 points and six assists, and the Crimson’s interior defense was bolstered by two blocks each from Thomas Batties and Ryan Sullivan.

The game was a defensive battle, with both teams shooting under 40% from the floor. Penn’s ability to force 18 Harvard turnovers, including five steals by the Quakers’ defense, proved a significant factor. The Crimson won the rebounding battle but were hampered by cold shooting from three-point range.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Harvard entered with a 55.2% probability to win and was a 2.5-point pregame favorite. The combined score of 122 points fell well under the over/under line of 135.5.

The victory completed a regular-season series sweep for Penn over Harvard, following a 64-61 win in Philadelphia on Feb. 28. Harvard had won the first meeting 64-63 on its home floor on Jan. 19. The game’s location in Ithaca was due to the Ivy League’s postseason tournament format.

The most important part of the game was the final exchange in overtime. After Harvard’s Tey Barbour hit a clutch layup to tie the score at 60 with roughly 20 seconds left, Penn’s AJ Levine answered immediately with a driving layup of his own with five seconds on the clock. This quick response under pressure gave Penn the lead and forced Harvard into a desperate, last-second three-point attempt, which missed, sealing the Quakers’ victory.