Harvard Slips Past Colgate

Harvard got a career-high 21 points from reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Week Drew Housman and held Colgate without a field goal for over six minutes down the stretch last night to hang on for a 68-59 win over the Raiders (5-6) at Lavietes Pavilion.

Housman, who scored 15 points in the second half, also had three assists and three steals, while captain Matt Stehle recorded his fourth double-double in six games with 13 points and 10 boards. The duo had 11 of Harvard’s 13 points during a critical 13-0 run that gave Harvard (8-3) a 60-53 edge with 1:06 to play, its largest since early in the period.

Harvard got the lead back for good on a three by Housman with 5:07 remaining.

“I felt wide open, and any time I have an open shot I’m going to take it,” Housman said.

After hitting on only one of seven attempts from long range in the first half, Colgate connected on five of its first nine three-pointers after the break. After junior forward Dan Gentile hit his only three, capping a 14-3 run and giving his team its largest lead, 53-47 with 6:51 to go, the Raiders went cold.

“I thought our defense in the second half from the seven minute mark to the four minute mark was outstanding,” said Harvard coach Frank Sullivan said. “I think that really made the difference for us.”

By the time junior guard Jon Simon scored—four missed field goals, five turnovers later—it was too little too late. Harvard hit 14-of-18 foul shots in the last six minutes, first to get back in the game and later to seal the win. Overall, Harvard hit on 30-of-39 attempts from the stripe—both season highs—compared to 11-of-14 for the Raiders. Harvard also out-rebounded Colgate, 43-24.

“The important thing from this game is we get to understand the significance of two things when we’re not shooting the ball well,” Sullivan said, referring to rebounding and foul shooting. “We wound up with 45 percent of the offensive boards and 82 percent of the defensive boards, so that was critical...[Also, we need to] get to the free throw line. The numbers indicate that we did...hopefully our guys [understand] that.”

Junior guard Jim Goffredo, back in the starting lineup after missing the win against Albany with a staph infection that landed him in the hospital, chipped in with 13 points. He also drew two critical second-half charges on Colgate captain Alvin Reed, who led the Raiders with 14 points but fouled out with 4:34 to play.

“Reed fouling out was an important thing for us as well. It was an accomplishment for [Goffredo] to take those charges,” Sullivan said.

Harvard opened the game on a 22-11 run and led by at least five for the remainder of the first half. The win improves the Crimson’s mark to 8-0 when leading at the break, compared to 0-3 when trailing. On the flip side, the Raiders are now 0-6 when trying to come from behind after halftime, but they are 5-0 when ahead.

The win was the third in a row for the streaky Crimson, who opened the season with five straight victories, only to lose its next three games. Harvard will attempt to run the streak to four against Boston College at Conte Forum Thursday night. The Eagles, currently ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press poll, are the only team currently in the top 25 on the Crimson’s schedule this year.

Sullivan said he was “happy [with] the way that guys have gutted out the last couple of games.” The Crimson has been without junior center Brian Cusworth for its last five games, and Sullivan said afterwards that he is still expected back after about four weeks (Jan. 2), which would give him a few days of practice without the cast before the Ivy opener against Dartmouth on Jan. 7.

The loss drops Colgate to 2-2 against the Ivies this year, following a loss at Cornell and home wins over Dartmouth and Princeton.

--Staff writer Gregory B. Michnikov can be reached at michnik@fas.harvard.edu.