Harmoni Turner leads Harvard women to college basketball glory

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Upon learning that the Lady Crimson of Harvard had won their first Ivy League Tournament basketball title in school history, my thoughts shifted back to an exclusive interview with team star Harmoni Turner for the Nov. 21 edition of the Bay State Banner.

Explaining how she wound up at Harvard, Turner, the whippet-quick, sharp-shooting guard out of Texas, said, “Coming out of high school, Harvard was not my first choice. I had other options. But when it came to decision time, a conversation with my father led me here. My dad coached me from my youth. He knew my talent better than anyone. He felt that Harvard would be a good place for me to grow as a player and, more importantly, as a woman. I was skeptical. But it all came down to my trust in him. I remember his words, ‘Trust me this one time, and I won’t ask any more of you.’ So, I trusted my father and came to Harvard.”

Tournament MVP Harmoni Turner cuts down the net. PHOTO: MILES J. HERSZENHORN/HARVARD CRIMSON

Turner admits that the culture-shock factor of Harvard took time to adjust to but credits her teammates for easing the adjustment. “My teammates’ support of me made the difference. We bonded as a group, on and off the court, during my first years here, leading to this magical season in my senior year,” she said.

An early season overtime upset win over 25th-ranked Indiana in Bloomington set the stage for what would come. Subsequent victories over Northwestern, Rhode Island, St. John’s, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston College, led by Turner’s 41 points, put this team on the national radar.

Finishing third in the Ivy League regular season standings, 11-3 in Ivy League and 24-4 overall, put the Lady Crimson in the upcoming NCAA postseason tournament. Harmoni Turner’s heroics drove this team to historic heights. She exploded for 44 points against second seeded Princeton in the semifinals and 24 in her team’s 74-71 victory in the championship final against number one seed Columbia. For her efforts, she was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

On a side note, Harmoni Turner’s dream is to play in the Women’s National Basketball Association after receiving her undergraduate degree from Harvard in May. Following her sensational senior season in which she led her team in scoring — currently over 20 points a game — rebounds, assists, steals and on-court leadership, she has drawn the attention of WNBA scouts, inching closer to fulfilling her dream. 

Her senior teammate, Elena Rodriguez, scored 13 points, and sophomore Karlee White hit a career-high dozen. Moore also got 31 points from her bench, outscoring the Columbia Lions’ second stringers by 25. In this contest, Turner also reached a milestone with a step back three-pointer in the third quarter. She became only the third player in Harvard history to score 2,000 points in her career.

When the final buzzer sounded, the Ladies of Crimson had pulled off the amazing feat of winning their first Ivy League title in the 50th year of women playing collegiate basketball in the Ivy League. This achievement also highlights the program’s first trip to the NCAA postseason tournament since 2007. This momentous event is a credit to the hard work of this team and its coaching staff, led by third-year head coach Carrie Moore.

Team members hold up Ivy League trophy. PHOTO: HARVARD ATHLETICS

Coach Moore emphasized her team’s closeness, defensive toughness, determination and attention to detail as its strongest assets during my interview with her for the Banner article. Tough regular season losses to Quinnipiac, Princeton and Columbia did not deter this team’s focus on the ultimate goal — winning the Ivy League postseason tournament and qualifying for the NCAA March Madness Dance.

After the win, she said, “We’ve just been knocking on the door every year that I’ve been here, and it’s just such an incredible feeling to finally, finally get to the top of the hill and be champions. Moore added, “And at times, we were in the eight — or nine game. I’m not too sure I want that game because the eights and nines just play the one-seed.”

“Honestly, I really don’t care,” she said. “I’m just happy to be in the tournament.”

With the historic mission accomplished, the Ladies of Crimson are a number ten seed in the Spokane Regional bracket, and now set their sights on a first-round matchup against the number seven seed Lady Spartans (21-9) of Michigan State on March 22.

And while fans of Harvard women’s basketball bask in the history-making status of this 2024-25 team, a look back in the history books shows that the 1997-98 Lady Crimson squad, a 16th seed, recorded one of the all-time upsets in NCAA postseason competition, knocking off number one seed Stanford. That team was led by Allison Feaster, one of the best to wear a Harvard uniform. Feaster, who received All-Ivy and All-American accolades during her playing career at Harvard, lifted the women’s program to national attention by upsetting the #1 ranked Stanford Cardinals. Today, she is an executive for the NBA champion Boston Celtics. 

However, Allison Feaster’s 1997-98 Harvard team didn’t carry the mantle of the Ivy League postseason tournament into the March Madness scene that this current Harvard team possesses. And so much of this story revolves around a daughter’s trust in her father’s word.