To say it was a big weekend for Harvard women’s basketball would be a bit of an understatement.

First, the Crimson beat Columbia 74-71 on Saturday to win the Ivy League tournament for the first time in program history, earning a trip to the NCAA tournament. Then on Sunday, they drew Michigan State in the first-round of the tourney, drawing an explosive reaction from the squad.

To top it off, Harvard joined Columbia and Princeton, who earned at-large bids, in a historic three-team Ivy League delegation to the Big Dance.

It made a special night even sweeter for senior guard Harmoni Turner.

“I’m tired of society trying to put these stereotypes on Harvard, Princeton and Columbia — all these Ivy League schools — that we can’t also be great hoopers,” Turner told reporters Sunday. “Like, nerds can hoop, too. I’ve been saying that all year.”

“Nerds can hoop, too. I’ve been saying that all year.”
Harmoni Turner, Harvard guard

This will be the first time since 2007 that Harvard has made the tournament, and only the seventh time in program history.

Carrie Moore, now in her third season as Harvard’s head coach, was doing her best to stay in the moment on Sunday as the team celebrated.

“I’m just so joyful that they get to have these experiences together. It is only going to bring us closer, it is only going to help push this program forward in a really incredible way,” she said.

Along with representing the school and the Ivy League, Harvard will be the only team from Massachusetts, women’s or men’s, in this year’s Division I NCAA basketball tournaments.

That was a pleasant surprise for Moore.

“Anytime we can really represent Harvard, our program, but also just Boston and New England — I think it’s a great place for basketball, it’s a great place for hoops,” she said. “Obviously, just with the pro teams in and around Boston, we want to make sure that this is a City of Champions, and we want to make sure that we’re a part of that.”

The team’s 10-seed is the highest its ever had in the tournament. While it will face a steep challenge against 7-seed Michigan State this Saturday, Turner was excited to see her band of “nerds” getting some recognition on Selection Sunday.

“Honestly, it was just nice to see us up there on that screen,” she said. “Coach Moore has been talking about [how] ‘It’s all about us this year,’ and I feel like that’s not gonna change. Whoever we go against, we know that we can win, and I think that we have a lot of confidence in ourselves. We put in too much work to just stop at the Ivy championship.”

Harvard will play Michigan State in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPNews.