Crimson Journeys to Dartmouth For Crucial Ivy Basketball Contest

The Harvard basketball team has had trouble getting moving offensively in its first two contests, and if they fail to again in tonight's match against Dartmouth in Hanover, the Crimson will come home empty-handed.

Tonight's contest in crucial to the Ivy title hopes of both clubs, and the Big Green, boasting the League's leading scorer last winter in Paul Erland, an improved 6-10 center in Jim Masker, and a pair of fine guards, are out to upend the Crimson.

Erland, who averaged 26.0 points last winter, has scored 48 already this season, and is sharing the scoring burdens with junior guard James Brown (who scored 52 points against Harvard's freshmen two years ago) and sophomore guard Bill Raynor, Brown has tallied 37 points, and Raynor 40 in the Green's two wins over Connecticut and Vermont.

Even though Dartmouth's offensive potential is good Crimson's defense is much improved over last year, when it topped the Big Green twice. Harvard coach Bob Harrison plans to use a man-to-man defense with Tony Jenkins guarding Erland. James Brown on Brown, and Jim Fitzsimmons on Raynor.

The key, then, will be whether or not the Crimson can generate an offense, a problem no one anticipated in pre-season speculation. Harvard's guards. Fitzsimmons and Brown, are only scoring on 33 and 29 per cent of their shots from the floor, and both are potential 50 per cent shooters.

"Our offense is lacking execution." Harrison said yesterday. "This team. I'm convinced can handle anybody it wants to offensively, but our execution has not given our potential a chance to show itself."

Against Northeastern and Seton Hall, the Crimson made offensive mistakes that hurt it badly. Harvard failed to score in close, either on the fast break or off the offensive boards.

With its big men still not at full capacity--captain Brian Newmark injured his back. Tom Mustoe has a pulled hamstring, and Floyd Lewin's knee has not completely recovered from a summer operation--the Crimson may continue to have trouble underneath.

Consequently, its fast break may suffer, and with it, the offense. All three big men will play tonight, but Harrison is not sure how effective they will be.

If they clear the defensive boards quickly in spite of their ailments to set up the break and can grab their share of the rebounds under the offensive boards, the Crimson should win its Ivy League opener. If not, Harvard will lose the momentum it needs to get through its holiday schedule.