Hoopsters Travel South To Face Rutgers Tonight

Harvard coach Bob Harrison, whose team had just won its third straight gannet by topping unbeaten Northeastern, went to the weekly metropolitan basketball coaches luncheon in good spirits Wednesday. When the coaches kidded him about having wrapped up the Boston area basketball title. he shyly admitted, "Well I guess we have."

The Crimson basketball team may have taken care of Boston, but the story could be different elsewhere. The squad travels to Rutgers in New Brunswick tonight on the first leg of its holiday road trip.

The Searlet Knights were 21-4 last winter. But with four of last year's starters gone. Rutgers has had difficulties so far this season.

The Knights are now 2-3 (not counting the results of a late game against Niagara last night). They have fallen to a powerful Penn squad 80-71 at home, to Columbia in New York. 61-42, and to a Delaware team that they defeated last year by 32 points.

But those losses have been to strong teams. Harvard must be ready to stop Rutgers weak side plays by sagging off and anticipating the break for the ball. The Knights also run a one-on-one power play underneath, but Harrison said that he thinks his big men are capable of handling the threat.

Offensively. the Crimson will have to deal with Rutgers' multiple-style defense. If its play against Northeastern's switching defenses is any indication. Harvard-and particularly guards Matt Bozek and Dale Dover-should not be confused.

The Crimson upset the Knights last year at home, 78-65, in a game that Harrison called "the biggest win of my two years at Harvard." An even match for Rutgers this year, the Crimson. with a determined team effort, could start its holiday season with a victory.

Harrison plans to use man-to-man defense against the Knights. Dover, who held B.U.'s All-East player Jim Hayes to-11 shots, will probably guard Rutgers' leading scorer. 6' junior Bob Wenzel, If Dover continues to play fine defense, the Knights' offensive potential will be weakened.