The Redhawks opened up action with a Salena Dickerson (Federal Way, Wash.) three-pointer and a strong pace, but Harvard would respond with an uncontested 7-0 run, before the Redhawks could equalize the game at 15:22, 7-7.
With 9:45 left in the first half, Amani Butler (Corona, Calif.) gave SU a 15-13 advantage and less than a minute later Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.) stole the ball and took it to the hole for four-point Redhawk lead, which Seattle U used as a catalyst to ignite their offense.
Freshman Shephard scored in double figures for the fourth time in her career, behind 10 points. She also had seven boards, three steals and three assists, leading in all three respective categories.
With less than four minutes to play in the first half, SU would go on an 8-0 run, in addition to forcing three Crimson turnovers. The squad played with fluidity and their ball movement to the hole was on point.
HU would commit 18 turnovers in the first half, which the Redhawks converted into 13 points, as SU went into the break leading 27-19.
Following halftime, Harvard went on a 7-2 run to close in on the Redhawks' lead, 29-26, less than three minutes into second half action.
"I thought in the first half we played very good defense and forced a lot of turnovers," said head coach Joan Bonvicini. "We did everything well, I thought, [except] rebound, which is something I knew was key."
"I knew they were going to come out [after halftime] and shoot the ball well from the perimeter," commented Bonvicini. "They dominated the boards [and] we had too many turnovers .. They [were able to] hit some layups and some threes, and broke the game open. It was really disappointing."
At 15:09, Harvard would regain the lead off a Miriam Rutzen steal and layin, 32-31, but Ashley Ward (Irvine, Calif.) responded for Seattle U with a line drive of her own.
The lead would continue to teeter between both sides until the Crimson went 14-0 run to take a 51-39 lead midway through the half.
Elle Kerfoot (Surrey, B.C.) would break the ice with back-to-back three-pointers and Dickerson added a free throw to make it a 10-point game inside seven minutes.
With 4:06 remaining, Butler brought the Redhawks within nine, 59-50, but Harvard would continually find a way to get the ball in the basket and maintain a double figure advantage.
The Crimson forced Seattle U into 10 turnovers in the second half, converting them into 15 points.
Harvard outrebounded Seattle U 46-31, behind 16 offensive boards. HU also dominated in the paint, scoring 38 points to SU's 18.
Kerfoot led the Redhawk offense with 17 points, including three three-pointers. She was perfect from the charity stripe, going 4-for-4.
Seattle U (5-16) will return to action next Saturday, Jan. 29, to host Chicago State in a rematch at 4 p.m. The Redhawks were edged 59-53 at CSU last week in their first meeting on Jan. 15.