Cagers Top Engineers, 127-89

Crimson forward Lew Silver fouled out of last night's game with 1:58 on the clock and Harvard J.V. cagers up by 40 and the MIT bench went wild.

The gleeful Engineers had never played five on three basketball before and, since the Crimson had lost three other men on fouls, it looked like the last couple of minutes would be more fun than the hapless scientists had been having.

But Jeff Wheat, Arnie Needleman and Lew Brown didn't allow the Engineers to make too much of a dent in the Crimson lead and at the final buzzer in the IAB Harvard triumphed, 127-89.

The cagers had built up a 33-point lead by the half employing a half-court press that forced numerous MIT turnovers. The hot hand of Crimson guard Needleman paced Harvard as the sophomore fired in 40 for scoring honors.

Harvard's defense, the specialty of coach Bob Hart, was stingy last night, forcing the Engineers to take bad outside shots.

The press, defense and rebounding by Wheat and Silver proved too powerful for the Engineers.

Silver, playing for the first time for the JV, was impressive underneath and has earned a starting spot according to Hart.

"Lew doesn't feel badly about coming down from the varsity and wants to play for us. And he played a damn good game in there tonight," he said.

Hart said his cagers face their toughest game of the season this week at BU. "I want to make this a perfect string. These guys can do it. I know; I've watched them win nine straight," he said grinning.