CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - What a whirlwind. Guts and resiliency were on full display for the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team Saturday night in a raucous environment against a formidable Ivy League foe, but the Quakers were unable to prevail after 50 minutes play, falling to Harvard 80-72 in double overtime. The loss drops Penn to 16-4 overall and 6-1 in conference play, with the Red and Blue still atop the league standings. 

Down four at halftime and 10 midway through the third quarter, it looked like Penn may wilt in the face of adversity. The Quakers did the exact opposite, digging deep to clamp down defensively and finding clutch plays from a varying cast of characters, including a career-high 15 clutch points from sophomore Michae Jones. 

PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Eleah Parker stuffed the stat sheet yet again, posting her 16th-straight game in double figure scoring and her eighth double-double of the season, finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks, two assists and a steal. The sophomore sensation went a career-best 9-of-12 from the free throw line. 

*Princess Aghayere teamed with Parker to form a solid threat down low for Penn, as the Quakers won points in the paint 36-22. The senior recorded a season-best 19 points and added seven rebounds in a game-high 48 minutes of action.

*Senior captain Ashley Russell posted her first career double-double, tallying 10 points and matching a personal best with 12 rebounds, adding four assists in 41 minutes.

*Jones' career-high 15 points all came in the second half and overtime, as the sophomore guard took over in clutch moments for Penn offensively. She finished 6-of-9 from the free throw line in 23 minutes of play.

*A true display of just how close Friday's game was? Both teams finished with 46 rebounds, 25 made field goals and 20 made free throws. The difference? Harvard's 10 3-pointers to Penn's two. 

*The overtime game was Penn's first since Dec. 7, 2016, at home against La Salle. It was Penn's first double overtime game since an 88-84 loss at Harvard in 2011. 

*Harvard improves to 51-32 all-time against Penn. The Quakers have dropped two straight in Cambridge.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Penn opened the game assertive and confident, going to its bread and butter Parker and Aghayere who helped Penn offensively both in the paint and out. Some stingy defense from the Crimson discombobulated Penn, and a nearly four-minute scoring drought followed by a 3-pointer from Harvard gave the home team a 13-10 lead.

Down 16-12 after 10 minutes, all 12 of Penn's points came from Parker and Aghayere.

The Quakers surged forward in the second quarter, evening the game on an Aghayere putback and runner from Sterba, before a jumper from Parker gave Penn an 18-16 advantage. The teams would trade leads back-and-forth before a 7-0 run from the Crimson put Harvard ahead 26-22.

The Quakers had to dig in their heels to fend off a Harvard run late in the half, using foul calls in their advantage and a transition opportunity from Russell late to be down just a four-point deficit, 33-29.

The Crimson again looked on the verge of breaking things open in the third quarter, finding success on jumpers and in transition, with two free throws from Madeline Raster resulting in a 10-point lead. The Quakers responded though, posting a 5-0 run on a jumper from Russell and their first three of the night, from Jones.

Jones and Aghayere would ignite Penn to claw back one possession at a time, as Jones was able to routinely drive the lane and get contact on the way up. A Harvard three game the Crimson a 46-40 lead, but Aghayere hit right back for one of her own, before another drive and finish from Jones put Penn back into play after three quarters, only down 46-45.

Aghayere would give the Quakers their first lead since the second quarter, vaulting Penn ahead in the fourth on a hook shot, before Jones finihsed a layup through the foul to put Penn ahead 49-46. The Crimson were able to break a seven-minute scoreless drought, but it was Aghayere again, this time off an inbounds play, putting Penn up three.

Both defense clamped down late in the fourth, resulting in high tension in Lavietes Pavilion. After a Raster floater drew the Crimson within one, both teams either turned the ball over or missed shots on each of their next three possessions.

Forcing a stop with 39.7 seconds left, Jones was fouled on another drive to the bucket, hitting 1-of-2 for a 52-50 lead. Harvard went to Katie Benzan, who missed two 3-pointers, but the Red and Blue were unable to collect the rebound, fouling Jadyn Bush in the fight for the ball. She hit both free throws to tie the game, and despite a good look from Aghayere at the top of the key from three, and a late opportunity from Harvard, the game was sent to overtime. 

It was Penn on top first in extra time behind a dump pass from Parker to Aghayere for two. A free throw after a putback foul from Parker gave Penn a 55-52 edge, but Benzan hit a long ball to tie the game instantly for the Crimson. 

Three more free throws for Parker paced Penn offensively, before Benzan hit again, giving Harvard their first lead of overtime at 59-58. 

Russell and Skinner traded layups, before the Quakers again couldn't finish out the defensive stop, fouling Sydney Skinner on the offensive board, who hit one.

Down two with 17.5 seconds left, Coach McLaughlin called timeout. The Quakers went back to the clutchest player of the court for Penn: Jones. She drove left and found a lane, finishing off glass to tie the game with 2.5 seconds left. Penn forced a stop off an inbounds play at halfcourt, and it was time for another five minutes.

Time took its toll on the Red and Blue late, as Penn struggled offensively in the final OT period, while Harvard got fresh energy from Rachel Levy off the bench. An early 3-pointer from Skinner was the separation the Crimson needed to edge away from Penn, as the home team sealed it with free throws late. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Quakers return to Philadelphia for a five-game home stand, beginning next weekend with a rematch against Columbia and Cornell at The Palestra.