Crimson Enjoys Role of Ivy Spoiler

Despite losing five seniors from last year’s squad and suffering an injury to a sixth key player, the Harvard men’s basketball team has a chance to match its league win total of four from a season ago when it travels to Yale for tonight’s 7 p.m. contest.

After finishing 4-10 in the Ivies last season with a senior-laden team, the Crimson (4-19, 3-7 Ivy) expected this to be a rebuilding year. It did not, however, count on losing sophomore seven-footer Brian Cusworth for the entire year to a stress fracture, nor did it plan for an extremely disappointing 2-18 start.

Given the circumstances, matching last year’s Ivy win total would be a grand feat indeed for the current team. Finishing strong is important as the team prepares for next year, since every player will return.

“These last four games are huge for us,” said junior captain Jason Norman. “Even though we aren’t in contention for the Ivy League championship, we can spoil some other people’s seasons, and that’ll be fine for this year. Next year we’re going to be in contention for the championship.”

Harvard assistant coach Bill Holden agreed, emphasizing that a few more wins would be a nice closeout to the year and put the team in good position for the future.

“We’re using the next two weekends to look forward to next year,” he said. “It’d be nice to finish in the top half of the league—that’s always a goal, to finish in the top half of the league standings-wise. We’re trying to move forward. We just want to keep making strides so that we can keep making a statement towards next season.”

The Crimson enters this weekend playing its best ball of the year, having won two of its past three games and coming off a thrilling 81-78 victory at Cornell last Saturday. The team has played well on three consecutive Saturday nights, winning two and taking a talented Princeton team to the wire three weeks ago before falling in double overtime.

Tonight, Harvard takes on a streaky Yale team (9-14, 4-6) that has lost three games in a row after winning its previous three games. But the Bulldogs are still dangerous, and the Crimson must play sound, controlled ball tonight if it wants to come away victorious.

“We’re going to need to continue to take care of the basketball,” Holden said. “That was a strength in the Yale game previously. We have to continue to play with the same energy and defend like we did the first go-around and not turn the ball over.”

Two weeks ago, Harvard defeated Yale 78-71 at Lavietes Pavilion, led by junior guard Kevin Rogus’ game-high 22 points.

The game was not decided until the closing seconds, when the Crimson—clinging to a 73-71 lead—received four consecutive free throws following a foul and an ensuing technical foul on Yale head coach James Jones for his on-court display.

Harvard—the league leader in free throw percentage 972.4)—nailed all four of its opportunities from the charity stripe.

On Saturday, the Crimson travels to Providence to take on Brown. Harvard will go for a split of the season series, having lost to the Bears 91-67 in the first meeting of the year between the two teams.

The Crimson will have to cope with a well-balanced Brown scoring attack that ranks second in the Ivies. All five Bears’ starters reached double figures in the first meeting, though the team clearly revolves around leading scorers Jaime Kilburn, Patrick Powers and Jason Forte. The trio combined for 62 points in the first game. Kilburn shot a blistering 9-10 from the field, while Forte—brother of NBA guard Joseph—netted a game-high 25.

Harvard was led by sophomore forward Matt Stehle, who scored 18 points on 8-13 shooting. Only two other Crimson players, however, reached double figures.

Stehle is Harvard’s second-leading scorer this season, averaging 13.6 points per game to go along with averages of 7.2 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.4 steals, all of which easily lead the team.

He will be a key player in this penultimate weekend of the season, as Harvard looks to continue its current momentum and close out the year on a positive note.

“It’ll mean a lot to get these wins, and it’ll mean a lot for the program too,” Norman said. “We don’t want to go above 20 losses, and we’re pushing it right now with 19, so these two weekends are huge for us.”