Leading by three with less than 30 seconds left in the second half, the Big Green (4-9, 1-0 Ivy) missed two sets of free throws down the stretch, giving Harvard (8-7, 1-0 Ivy) a final chance to tie and force overtime.
The ensuing Crimson possession, however, was abruptly cut short by senior guard Koren Schram '09, who tipped a Crimson pass into the hands of teammate Darcy Rose '09, smothering any comeback opportunities.
"As our first Ivy game, this was a huge win for us," Rose said. "Harvard is always one of our toughest opponents in the league, so beating them is a great start to the final part of our season. We're really looking to build on this win during the next few games."
After splitting the season series with Harvard last year, Dartmouth will now look for the sweep in Hanover as the Big Green tries to defend its Ivy championship crown.
"By the end of the season, both our team and Harvard will have grown a lot, so when we play them next time we'll just have to be ready for another battle," Rose said.
On the court, Brittney Smith '11 led the team with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Schram posted 17 points and seven rebounds.
Crimson's Brogan Berry led all players with 20 points, while teammate Emily Tay added eight.
Dartmouth's last-second steal capped off a stifling defensive pressure that dominated the match.
The start of the first half saw little offensive action, as both teams were surprisingly silent. A jumper by Smith at 3:22 into the match put Dartmouth on the board. Harvard's first basket did not hit until almost three minutes later.
The Crimson's zone defense, however, would prove to be a formidable barrier, limiting the Big Green to only nine points scored with less than five minutes left in the first half.
Dartmouth would rally behind three-point plays from Meghan McFee '11 and Cassie Cooper '11 before Harvard responded with back-to-back threes, giving the Crimson a one-point advantage heading into the break.
The second half opened with a shootout as both teams became progressively more potent in their offensive roles. Tied at 28-28, the Big Green jumped to a five-point lead with baskets from Smith and Schram, who tallied 15 points in the second period.
"In the second half, I think we did a great job setting each other up and working as a team," Rose said. "We were also able to get lots of second chances through offensive rebounds."
A Crimson rally would cut the lead to one before the Big Green surged to a 12-point advantage with a 13-2 scoring run and defensive stand that essentially bottled Harvard's offense, holding the home team without a field goal for more than six minutes.
Maintaining its poise, Harvard found its rhythm down the stretch. With two minutes left in the contest, Tay led a final charge that closed the gap to three. Dartmouth responded with a run of its own as Schram fired a crucial three, extending the lead to six and giving the Big Green a much-needed cushion.
Harvard, however, would not back down, forcing Dartmouth to make free throws in a last-ditch effort to conserve the clock.
The Big Green went on to shoot 36 percent from the line, making only five out of 14 shots and allowing Harvard to stay in the game.
"It's very uncharacteristic of our team to miss that many free throws, but what's important is that despite the misses, we did what we had to do to win the game," Rose said.
After two Crimson free throws that cut the Big Green lead to three, the stage was set for the thrilling finish.
Altogether, Dartmouth posted an impressive 46.2 field-goal percentage in the second half and limited the Crimson starters to below-average point tallies.
"I think we did a very good job defensively in this game and also did well taking our time on offense," Rose explained.
Smith offered a similar sentiment.
"I think once we took away their key players, [Harvard] fell apart. Offensively, we were patient and worked well with one another," she stated.
After facing Harvard, Dartmouth does not resume Ivy play until Jan. 30, when the Big Green battles the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton in a doubleheader weekend. Meanwhile, Dartmouth squares off against instate rival New Hampshire in a 7:00 p.m. matchup on Tuesday night in Durham, N.H.
