NEW HAVEN, Conn.--On a routine road trip down I-95, the Harvard women's basketball team, which had been tied for first in the Ivy League, came back with a barely salvageable split and a fortunate tie for second place.

A 70-68 overtime win against Yale (9-14, 5-5) in the John J. Lee Amphitheater on Saturday was a struggle for Harvard, especially after previously league-winless Brown (6-18, 1-9) clobbered the Crimson, 75-56, the night before.

"I'm not alive," said Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith, who is being treated for breast cancer. "It's a tough weekend after chemo. Next time, time your chemo better than I did."

The Crimson (15-6, 7-2 Ivy), which had been tied for the Ivy League lead with Dartmouth (16-6, 8-1) and Penn (16-7, 7-2), had company in second place after the weekend as Columbia (5-17, 4-6) shocked Penn 70-67 on Saturday.

"Isn't that fabulous?" Delaney-Smith asked.

Dartmouth, on an 8-0 roll since losing to Harvard in early January, swept Yale and Brown on the weekend to gain sole possession of first place.

Harvard 70, Yale 68, OT

Yale freshman guard Maria Smear and junior center Lily Glick did their best to upend Harvard in the second half, but the more experienced and deeper Crimson ultimately prevailed in overtime, despite missing two starters.