Harvard Five Outlasts Dartmouth, 63-60

The Harvard basketball team rode the last-second heroics of Ernest Hardy and Bobby Johnson to a 63-60 win over Dartmouth last night at the IAB for its first Ivy League victory.

More than any other single factor in the sloppily-played game, fouls determined the outcome. Harvard controlled the first half behind the scoring of Johnson and sophomore guard Dale Dover, taking a 37-32 lead into the dressing room.

Shortly into the second half, however, the two leading Crimson rebounders, Hardy and senior Chris Gallagher, went to the bench, seconds apart, with four personals. As the few Dartmouth fans chortled happily, their super-star, a 6-7 junior named Alex Winn inexplicably committed four fouls within two and one half minutes--so he too took a seat.

Mobile Center

Hoping that Winn's absence--the mobile center scored 17 points in the first half--would demoralize the Indians, Harvard coach Bob Harrison reinserted Hardy and Gallagher into the game to administer the anticipated coup de grace.

Unfortunately, the remaining Indians performed splendidly, playing Harvard even for almost eight minutes until Winn returned to the battle with 7:06 left. At that juncture, Harvard led 54-53.

Dover upped the margin on a fast break basket off Eric Gustavson's pass, and then Gus stole the ball, was fouled and made one of two free throws. Winn's layup cut the lead, but he fouled out--with 24 points--4:34 before the end.

The Harvard supporters smiled winningly as sharp-shooting substitute forward Mike Janczewski sank both free throws for a 59-55 lead. John Ryzewic dropped a jumper and Joe Cook a free throw and then, as Harvard bumbled a series of sorties, Greg Pickering put in a shot over Hardy to shoot the Indians into a 60-59 lead with 1:52 on the clock. Gustavson missed a short shot, but Johnson came from nowhere to guide the rebound into the basket.

Logic Defied

The next minute defied logic Cook blew a one-on-one situation but Gustavson, after taking the rebound, got tied up and lost the ball. Dartmouth called time out. Trying to set a play, Cook fumbled a pass out of bounds. Dover was fouled coming up court but, for the second time in two minutes, he missed a one-and-one.

Dartmouth worked the ball to pickering--a 6-3 bulldozer. He went up toward the basket and the shot ran into Hardy's out-stretched hands. In a quick reflex, the Harvard junior controlled the ball. Another foul, but Johnson missed the free-throw. In the scramble that followed, Hardy picked the ball off the floor and layed it in the basket with five seconds to go to clinch the game. For good measure, he blocked the last desperation Dartmouth shot--a dangerous move.

Dover and Janczewski had 13 apiece and Johnson 12. Cook and Pickering finished in double figures for Dartmouth and Pickering had 14 rebounds.