Holiday Hoops

Like thousands of their classmates, players on the Harvard men's basketball team will board a plane in search of warmer climes today, but the cagers' trip to Texas is more than just a chance for them to soak up some holiday sun.

The 3-3 Crimson hopes to gain its first-ever win over the Longhorns, 2-4, who have prevailed in each of the teams' three meetings. Last year Harvard threatened an upset, capturing a 12-point first-half lead and parleying a two point halftime margin into an end-of-regulation tie. But the Westerners hit their overtime free throws and escaped the IAB with a 71-70 decision.

Much has changed since last year's thriller Abe Lemons, the Longhorns' eminently quotable coach, got the boot, and Bob Weltlich took over the helm Junior forward Bill Wendlandr who did not play last year leads Longhorn scorers with an 18-3 point average.

Harvard returns to Cambridge for a show down Tuesday with Stanford. The Crimson and the Cardinal were supposed to meet last year for the Briggs Dedication game, but construction delays forced the postponement of the inaugural ceremonies. The teams agreed to switch the sites of the home-and-home series setting up this year's dedication shootout.

Why was the dedication ceremony for Harvard's long awaited basketball facility scheduled for a day in the middle of the two week winter holiday.

It's the only convenient date for Stanford. Crimson Coach Frank McLaughlin said yesterday. "This is the best time we had available.

Harvard will enter its dedication game the definite underdog. Stanford humiliated the visiting Crimson last year, 92-70, and the Cardinal has lost only one of its six games this season The Californians record may be misleading however, as three of their six opponents were not NCAA Division I teams and all their contests have been at home.

John Revelli leads the Stanford attack netting an average of 20-7 points and grabbing 8-5 rebounds. Guard Keith Jones does his share of shooting, tallying 18-0 points per game. Like Texas, Stanford also boasts a new coach, Tom Davis of B.C.

Harvard forward Joe Carrabino remains in Stillman infirmary, the victim of a disk pressing against his scintic nerve. "I don't know when I'll get out." Carrabino said yesterday.

The cagers proved they could be effective without Carrabino when they held off a UNH charge, 69-68, in overtime Tuesday night. The holiday games will test whether the Crimson can keep it up.