M. Hoops Nips Big Green

Dartmouth men's basketball is really starting to dislike Kyle Snowden. Last season, with three seconds left and the Big Green nursing a one point lead, the then-freshman forward stepped to the line and sank two free throws for a 66-65 Harvard victory.

At Briggs Cage last night, Snowden did it again. With the Crimson leading by one point and the clock fixed at ten seconds, Snowden (14 points, 12 points in the last six minutes) iced two free throws, giving Harvard a 58-55 victory in its Ivy League opener.

"Last year, we were behind and Kyle made two shots to win the game," Harvard coach Frank Sullivan said. "When he came to the bench during the timeout, he turned to guys and said, 'Don't worry, I'll do it again.'"

The freebies capped an impressive second half in which the Crimson chipped away at a 27-21 halftime deficit with tenacious defense and much-improved shooting. And although it took eighteen minutes of second half action for Harvard to reestablish the lead, when Mike Gilmore (nine points and four rebounds in 23 minutes) sank a three-pointer from the top of the key for a 54-51 advantage, it was clearly Harvard's game to win.

But, after holding the lead for approximately 36 of 38 minutes gone by, the Crimson couldn't get the Big Green to roll over and play dead that easily. But every time Dartmouth would appear to be spinning out of the grave, Harvard--with flawless foul shooting or smart play--would send them back.

After a timeout, Dartmouth's Kenny Mitchell cut the lead to one with a nifty lefty lay-in. Harvard answered with a Snowden drive, a Big Green foul and two made free throws for 56-53 lead. After Dartmouth's sophomore swingman Seamus Longeran (a game-high 21 points in 37 minutes) netted a right-handed leaner and Dartmouth center Brian Gilpin drew a questionable charge on Harvard fireplug guard David Demian, Gilpin bricked the front end of the ensuing one-and-one.

Demian (eight points, two three pointers) redeemed himself with impressive hustle on the rebound. The sophomore tied up Dartmouth forward Jamie Halligan for a jump ball, and with the possession arrow pointing in Harvard's direction, gave the Crimson the rock with twelve seconds remaining and a one point lead.

More heady play would finally deliver the game to the Crimson. When Darren Rankin (eight points, six rebounds) could not inbound the ball, he called a timeout and got a fresh five seconds. And when Rankin got the ball to Snowden, who was promptly sent to the charity stripe by Dartmouth swingman Keith Stanton, the ball game was over.

"I was really pleased with the guys who came off the bench," Sullivan said. "We have gotten some good contributions off the bench this season but that is the best group of contributions we have had yet. David Demian did a good job, Kevin Fricka did a good job, Mike Scott did a nice job. With the way Dartmouth runs its offense, to be able to go deep into our bench really helped us."

In the first half, the way Dartmouth ran its offense confounded the Crimson. Lackadaisical Harvard defensive play and the Crimson's anemic 25 percent shooting allowed the Big Green to open up first half leads of 9-4, 22-17 and 27-17. In the four minute stretch en route to that 27-17 advantage, the Crimson allowed eight unanswered points, missed shots left and right and took an offensive foul. It was ugly going.

With two minutes remaining in the first half, however, the Crimson began showing the much-need life signs that would bring them back from the brink. First, Harvard freshman Mike Scott (five points and four rebounds in an impressive 18 minutes) drove the right baseline and scored. Then, senior captain Jared Leake reduced the lead to six, cutting into the lane and canning a jumper from ten feet.

"The first half gave us an opportunity to kind of get a feel for what they were all about--the hard screens, the ball reversal--and that's what we talked about defensively in the locker room," Sullivan said. "I think at half-time, the guys realized what they needed to do and maybe were a little bit more determined. In the second half, we wanted to make it a defensive game and take whatever was going to come our way."

Take the Crimson did. The Crimson went on a 4-0 mini run to start the second half, allowed Dartmouth to pull back on top by six, scored five more unanswered (including two paint hoops from Fricka) and then let Dartmouth take a 43-38 advantage. But Snowden wouldn't let the Big Green out of sight. In a span of four minutes, the sophomore sank a foul shot, hit a ten foot jumper and sank the foul shot on a nifty three pointer play, evening the game at 51 with two and a half minutes to play.

"It was the Ivy League opener," Sullivan said. "We had a lot of anticipation and a lot of nervous energy."

Thankfully for Sullivan and Harvard, Snowden put some of that nervous energy to use. Dartmouth  55 Harvard  58

HARVARD, 58-55 at Briggs Cage Dartmouth  27  28  --  55 Harvard  21  37  --  58

DARTMOUTH: Mitchell 3-6 1-3 7; Halas 1-1 0-0 3; Lonergan 8-19 3-4 21; Stanton 4-5 1-1 9; Capps 1-3 0-0 2; Danzi 0-0 0-2 0; Halligan 1-7 0-0 3; Palmer 1-2 0-0 2; Gilpin 4-5 0-2 8. TOTALS 23-48 5-12 55.

HARVARD> Demian 3-6 0-0 8; Leake 2-12 0-0 5; Gilmore 3-6 2-2 9; Kubiak 0-1 0-0 0; Rankin 4-8 0-0 8; Morris 1-7 0-0 2; M. Scott 2-6 0-0 5; Snowden 4-8 6-7 14; Fricks 3-8 1-2 7. TOTALS: 22-62 9-11 58.

HARVARD, 58-55 at Briggs Cage Dartmouth  27  28  --  55 Harvard  21  37  --  58

DARTMOUTH: Mitchell 3-6 1-3 7; Halas 1-1 0-0 3; Lonergan 8-19 3-4 21; Stanton 4-5 1-1 9; Capps 1-3 0-0 2; Danzi 0-0 0-2 0; Halligan 1-7 0-0 3; Palmer 1-2 0-0 2; Gilpin 4-5 0-2 8. TOTALS 23-48 5-12 55.

HARVARD> Demian 3-6 0-0 8; Leake 2-12 0-0 5; Gilmore 3-6 2-2 9; Kubiak 0-1 0-0 0; Rankin 4-8 0-0 8; Morris 1-7 0-0 2; M. Scott 2-6 0-0 5; Snowden 4-8 6-7 14; Fricks 3-8 1-2 7. TOTALS: 22-62 9-11 58.

DARTMOUTH: Mitchell 3-6 1-3 7; Halas 1-1 0-0 3; Lonergan 8-19 3-4 21; Stanton 4-5 1-1 9; Capps 1-3 0-0 2; Danzi 0-0 0-2 0; Halligan 1-7 0-0 3; Palmer 1-2 0-0 2; Gilpin 4-5 0-2 8. TOTALS 23-48 5-12 55.

HARVARD> Demian 3-6 0-0 8; Leake 2-12 0-0 5; Gilmore 3-6 2-2 9; Kubiak 0-1 0-0 0; Rankin 4-8 0-0 8; Morris 1-7 0-0 2; M. Scott 2-6 0-0 5; Snowden 4-8 6-7 14; Fricks 3-8 1-2 7. TOTALS: 22-62 9-11 58.