PROVIDENCE, R.I. — This was March basketball at its finest. Two teams that have been in the NCAA conversation all year, Columbia and Harvard, exchanging haymakers for 40 minutes, with the intensity that makes the sport so intoxicating this time of year. In the end, it was Harvard that landed the final punch, eking out a thrilling, 74-71, victory in the championship game of the Ivy League Women's Basketball Tournament.

Sophomore Riley Weiss led the charge for regular-season champion Columbia (23-6), delivering a 21-point performance that kept the Lions within striking distance all night. Senior Cecelia Collins added 18 points and dished out six assists. Weiss' performance earned her a spot on the All-Tournament Team.

Columbia fought tooth and nail, battled through six ties and five lead changes, and proved why they were among the Ivy League's best. However, Harvard had just enough answers.

"This is what you want in March," said head coach Megan Griffith. "I mean, [we're talking] about two great teams battling for a championship. We've never seen Ivy League women's basketball look like this before. We've had great teams, but we have two teams that should both be in the tournament right now. For us, we were outright Ivy League regular season champions. We won the best mid-major conference in America." 

Harmoni Turner, who earned the Tournament MVP honors, poured in 24 points, and Elena Rodriguez added 13 points and nine assists.
Columbia grabbed an early 13-6 lead after a steal and long pull-up 3-pointer from Weiss with 5:55 left in the first quarter. However, the Crimson used a 7-0 run to close the frame to take a 19-18 lead after 10 minutes of action.

A transition bucket from Turner sparked another 10-2 outburst to give the Crimson its largest lead of the game, 34-26, with 4:52 before the break. However, Turner was forced to sit the final 3:12 after picking up her second foul, and the Lions took advantage. Weiss' last-second triple pulled Columbia within two at the midway point.

Columbia withstood a 9-2 run in the third quarter to remain within two headed into the final frame to set up a thrilling finish. With Harvard leading 69-65, Weiss was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 28 seconds to go. She hit all three of them to make it 69-68.

With the shot clock turned off, the Lions were forced to foul. Harvard went 5-of-6 from the line down the stretch but allowed an easy Kitty Henderson bucket to draw Columbia within 74-71 with 17 ticks left. Instead of running out the clock, Rodriguez drove to the basket and missed a layup to give the Lions one last shot.

Columbia advanced the ball to the front court after a timeout with five seconds left. Weiss got an open look from the top of the key, but her shot rattled in and out to give the Crimson the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

"I just know that we keep elevating this program to the next level, and that's the most important thing," Griffith said. "We're playing in a great conference right now, full of winners, full of great players, and I'm confident we're going to be selected [to the NCAA Tournament]. It's not even a conversation in my mind. We're going to the NCAA Tournament. I'm excited to have at least two teams represented next weekend and to keep this thing moving. We have a lot of games to win in March, though."

Columbia will learn its postseason fate during the Women's Basketball Selection Special on ESPN. Sunday's selection show begins at 8 p.m. ET.

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