Big Red Downs Cagers; Cornell Still in First

Even Lazarus needed a bit of help coming back from the dead.

Last night in Briggs Cage, the Harvard men's basketball team came out like zombies in the first half against Cornell. And its second half resurrection attempt failed, as Cornell (14-7 overall, 8-1 Ivies) edged the Crimson, 71-63, in front of 900 fans.

Harvard (9-12 overall, 4-5 Ivies) rallied back from an early 15-point deficit to take a 58-57 lead with four minutes remaining in the game, but Big Red guard Sam Jacobs exploded for 10 of his team's last 14 points to key the Red victory.

"We just came up a little short," Harvard Coach Pete Roby said. "They made the big shots when they needed to."

Junior Neil Phillips was the top scorer for Harvard with 20 points, while freshman Ralph James chipped in 15. Jacobs fired in 28 points to lead the Big Red.

Jacobs sank a pair of three-pointers down the stretch, including an oddlooking, line-drive shot with time running down on the 45-second clock. That basket put the Big Red up by four points with 39 seconds left in the game.

"You need some luck to win, and that was a lucky shot," said Cornell Coach Mike Dement.

Jacobs' terrific play spoiled an exciting Harvard comeback which pulled the Crimson from a 40-30 halftime deficit to a second-half lead, 58-57, with 4:11 remaining. Phillips hit five three-pointers--including the go-ahead basket--and scored 16 second-half points to lead the charge.

Harvard's press, which was ineffective in the first half, gave the Big Red fits in the second, and the Crimson capitalized on a number of Cornell turnovers.

"[Roby] has a great press," Dement said. "We worked on it all week in practice, but we still had trouble with it."

"Our press works when we make it work, and we didn't do it in the first half," Harvard Tri-Captain Mike Gielen said.

The Big Red, helped by weak Harvard shooting and many turnovers, jumped to an early 28-13 lead.

"We had 11 turnovers total, and ten in the first half," Roby said. "That's the key right there."

The Crimson settled down and began to look inside to Tri-Captain Bill Mohler, who scored 10 points in the first half.

"We were a lot more patient on offense, and we concentrated on defense, and it paid off," Gielen said.