Junior guard Corey Johnson leads all Harvard upperclassmen in minutes.
In a series that began on Sunday and will continue through the Crimson’s season opener on Nov. 10 against MIT, men’s basketball beat writer Stephen Gleason will look at Harvard’s 13 nonconference opponents. Coming in at No. 4 is Vermont.
No. 13: MIT
No. 12: Holy Cross
No. 11: Fordham
No. 10: Manhattan
No. 9: Massachusetts
No. 8: Wofford
No. 7: Northeastern
No. 6: George Washington
No. 5: Boston University
Vermont
2017-2018 Matchup: Tuesday, January 2 at Lavietes Pavilion (7:00 p.m.)
2016-2017 Record: 29-6 overall, 16-0 America East Conference
2016-2017 Matchup: Vermont, 82, Harvard, 71
Head Coach: John Becker (7th season)
Key Returning Players: sophomore forward Anthony Lamb (was the team’s leading scorer as a freshman and provides length along the perimeter, also averaged 5.5 rebounds a season ago); redshirt senior forward Payton Henson (averaged 11.5 points per game to go with 5.3 rebounds, will have to step up in an undersized Vermont frontcourt); senior guard Trae Bell-Haynes (the team’s quarterback on both ends of the floor, a lot of big game experience, on a list by Jay Bilas, along with Lamb, as one of the nation’s most underrated players)
Stat to Watch: 84: the number of days in between losses by the Catamounts a season ago; Vermont lost to Butler in December before reeling off 21 straight victories
Overview: Vermont caught the eyes of the nation a season ago after its 21-game winning streak. The Catamounts have a chance to be even better this season as John Becker returns his four top scorers from a season ago. This team is one of the nation’s top mid-majors and is facing a challenging nonconference schedule that includes Kentucky, Marquette, and Yale. Its matchup with the Crimson may be the best between two New England teams this season.
—Staff writer Stephen J. Gleason can be reached at stephen.gleason@thecrimson.com.
Senior guard Zach Yoshor is one of just three Crimson players who has been on a team that has made the NCAA Tournament.
In a series that began on Sunday and will continue through the Crimson’s season opener on Nov. 10 against MIT, men’s basketball beat writer Stephen Gleason will look at Harvard’s 13 nonconference opponents. Coming in at No. 3 is St. Mary’s.
No. 13: MIT
No. 12: Holy Cross
No. 11: Fordham
No. 10: Manhattan
No. 9: Massachusetts
No. 8: Wofford
No. 7: Northeastern
No. 6: George Washington
No. 5: Boston University
No. 4: Vermont
Saint Mary’s
2017-2018 Matchup: Thursday, November 23 at Titan Gym, Fullerton, Calif. (4:00 p.m.)
2016-2017 Record: 29-5 overall, 16-2 West Coast Conference
2016-2017 Matchup: N/A
Head Coach: Randy Bennett (17th season)
Key Returning Players: Sr. C Jock Landale (arguably the top big man that Harvard will face this season, averaged 16.9 points and 9.5 rebounds per game a season ago, first team All-WCC and AP Honorable Mention); Sr. G Emmett Naar (two-year starter at point guard, averaged 5.6 assists per game, team’s top returner in minutes and assists); Sr. F Calvin Hermanson (43 percent three-point shooter, averaged 13.1 points per game a season ago)
Stat to Watch: 14.5: The Gaels outscored their opponents by an average of 14.5 points per game last season.
Overview: St. Mary’s has been one of the most successful and consistent Division I programs over the last ten seasons. The Gaels have won 20 or more games each season in the last decade and should be a top mid-major program again this season. Landale is an All-American candidate and Emmett Naar will lead the backcourt. While this team isn’t particularly deep, it makes up for it in experience. Randy Bennett will likely start five upperclassmen, including Cullen Neal, a graduate transfer from Ole Miss who is a sniper from three-point range. Neal will bolster a sweet-shooting unit that was 39.4 percent from long range a season ago.
—Staff writer Stephen J. Gleason can be reached at stephen.gleason@thecrimson.com.
Junior guard Tommy McCarthy heads into 2017-2018 as one of Harvard's most experienced backcourt players.
In a series that began on Sunday and will continue through the Crimson’s season opener on Nov. 10 against MIT, men’s basketball beat writer Stephen Gleason will look at Harvard’s 13 nonconference opponents. Coming in at No. 5 is Boston University.
No. 13: MIT
No. 12: Holy Cross
No. 11: Fordham
No. 10: Manhattan
No. 9: Massachusetts
No. 8: Wofford
No. 7: Northeastern
No. 6: George Washington
Boston University
2017-2018 Matchup: Thursday, December 21 at Lavietes Pavilion (7:00 p.m.)
2016-2017 Record: 18-14 overall, 12-6 Patriot League
2016-2017 Matchup: N/A
Head Coach: Joe Jones (7th season)
Key Returning Players: senior guard Cedric Hankerson (started 27 games a season ago and averaged nearly 29 minutes per contest, led the team in three-pointers and is its top returning scorer); sophomore forward Tyler Scanlon (started 22 games and averaged 8.1 points, will need to help replace Eric Fanning and Justin Alston, the team’s top scorers and rebounders from a season ago)
Stat to Watch: 1.9: the distance in miles from Case Gym to Lavietes Pavilion, the closest road game that the Terriers will play this season
Overview: Harvard coach Tommy Amaker is 8-3 in games against Joe Jones since arriving in Cambridge in 2007. While BU will need to replace key pieces from its frontcourt, the Terriers were picked to finish in the Patriot League. Hankerson and fellow senior guard Cheddi Mosely, who played in just 11 games last season, will pace the Terriers’ scoring attack.
—Staff writer Stephen J. Gleason can be reached at stephen.gleason@thecrimson.com.
Co-captain Siyani Chambers drives to the hoop against Penn during his senior season.
In an illustrious career in Cambridge, former Harvard point guard Siyani Chambers ’16 was an integral member of the team for four years. Now across the pond in Austria, Chambers is proving to be equally essential to his new team.
The former Crimson standout, now a member of BC Raiffeisen Flyers Wels in the Austria-A Bundesliga, has settled into a crucial role as the new point guard. The team leader in multiple categories, Chambers is averaging 15.7 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals, all tops on the team. He also leads his side with eight three-pointers made.
While in college, Chambers established himself as a top performer in his rookie year. In the 2012-2013 season, Chambers won Ivy League Rookie of the Year and was named All-Ivy League. This campaign was far from his ceiling, as Chambers continued to dazzle on the court, landing on the all-conference team in each of his four years.
Chambers finished his career 12th all time with 1,287 career points, sixth all time with 163 career steals, and second all time with 605 career assists.
His distinguished career was not devoid of challenges, however. In the summer of 2015, before what was to be his final season, Chambers suffered a torn ACL. In order to rehab his knee and return for his senior season, Chambers took a voluntary leave of absence for the school year.
Returning for the 2016-2017 season as team captain, Chambers posted a fantastic season, leading the Ancient Eight in assists per game and propelling the Crimson into the first-ever Ivy League Tournament.
Now taking Austria by storm, the former Leverett resident from Golden Valley, Minnesota, is a star for his new squad. If his history at Harvard is any indication, Chambers’ rookie season is just the beginning.
Junior forward Weisner Perez will be a part of a deep Crimson frontcourt in 2017-2018.
In a series that began on Sunday and will continue through the Crimson’s season opener on Nov. 10 against MIT, men’s basketball beat writer Stephen Gleason will look at Harvard’s 13 nonconference opponents. Coming in at No. 6 is George Washington.
No. 13: MIT
No. 12: Holy Cross
No. 11: Fordham
No. 10: Manhattan
No. 9: Massachusetts
No. 8: Wofford
No. 7: Northeastern
George Washington
2017-2018 Matchup: Saturday, December 23 at Charles E. Smith Athletic Center, Washington, D.C. (1:00 p.m.)
2016-2017 Record: 20-15 overall, 10-8 Atlantic Ten
2016-2017 Matchup: George Washington, 77, Harvard, 74
Head Coach: Maurice Joseph (2nd season)
Key Returning Players: senior guard Yuta Watanabe (averaged 35.1 minutes a season ago and brings size to the GW backcourt, put up 12.2 points per game); graduate forward Patrick Steeves (transfer from Harvard shot 48.2 percent from the field and started 10 games)
Stat to Watch: 6: the Colonials won six of their final seven games, including a victory over regular season conference champion Dayton
Overview: GW was picked to finish 11th in the 14-team Atlantic Ten. Maurice Joseph returns Watanabe and Steeves as wings but the rest of his bunch lacks experience. The Colonials will look to ride the momentum that they generated toward the end of last season to make their first NCAA Tournament since 2014.
—Staff writer Stephen J. Gleason can be reached at stephen.gleason@thecrimson.com.
