Crimson Cagers Upset Pennsylvania, 69-67

To the amazement of its most persistent critics, Floyd Wilson's greatly-maligned Harvard basketball team finished its best Ivy League weekend of the year by upsetting Pennsylvania, 69-67, Saturday night in Philadelphia.

Buoyed by a strong though unsuccessful effort against Princeton the night before, Harvard combined tenacious defense with tough rebounding to dump the Quakers.

Down by three with less than a minute to play, Harvard edged to within a point on Eric Gustavson's layup. On the ensuing pass-in, 10 seconds from the final buzzer, Bobby Johnson soared aloft for a steal.

In the same graceful motion, Johnson gunned the ball to Gustavson underneath the basket, and the 6-3 junior dropped it in to put Harvard ahead, 68-67.

Harvard kept its fullcourt man-to-man press on, and, trying for the ball and a clinching basket, Mickey Norlander fouled Penn's 5-8 gunner guard Steve Pearsall. Fortunately for Harvard, Pearsall choked the one-and-one opportunity.

The Crimson's Chris Gallagher tapped the Pearsall rebound to Gustavson who called time out with three seconds left. Penn needed the ball, and when Harvard got the ball safely inbounded, the Quakers had to foul Gallagher to get it. When the junior center made the final foul shot--the first of a one-and-one--Harvard had its second League victory.

Penn's Pete Andrews led all scorers with 23 points. Gallagher had 16 for Harvard, Johnson 15, Gustavson's runningmate at starting guard Jeff Grate had 11 and Gus himself had 10.

Around the Ivy League, Columbia survived a Yale scare with a last minute rally to take over undisputed possession of first place, 67-61. Princeton dropped a vital 62-60 decision to Dartmouth's surprising Indians.

Next weekend, the Crimson cagers will get a chance to extend their winning streak with games against Brown and Yale at the IAB.