Preview: Dartmouth Big Green at Harvard Crimson

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Interstat) — The Harvard women’s basketball team looks to solidify its position in the Ivy League standings when it hosts rival Dartmouth on Saturday at Lavietes Pavilion.

The Crimson (12-8) enter the contest with a winning record, while the Big Green (10-10) seek to reach .500 in conference play. Harvard holds a decisive 72-47 road victory over Dartmouth from just over a month ago, on Jan. 3.

Harvard has won three of its last four games, most recently a 61-58 home win over Brown on Jan. 31. Guard Karlee White has been a consistent offensive force, averaging 18.5 points over her last six contests. She scored 21 points in the win over Brown and poured in 27 points and 10 rebounds in a narrow overtime loss at Princeton on Jan. 19.

Dartmouth is coming off its best performance of the season, a 77-59 rout of Yale on Jan. 31. That victory snapped a six-game losing streak. The Big Green were led in that game by guard Zeynep Ozel, who erupted for a career-high 30 points. Ozel’s production has been volatile, however; she was held to just five points in a loss to Brown the afternoon before her 30-point outing.

The matchup pits Harvard’s steadier season trajectory against a Dartmouth squad that has shown both glaring weaknesses and flashes of high potential. Containing Ozel will be a primary focus for the Crimson defense, while Dartmouth must find a way to slow White and improve upon its defensive effort from the January meeting.

Following this game, Harvard hits the road for a weekend trip to Yale and Brown. Dartmouth continues its road swing at those same opponents next weekend.

Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.