M. Cagers Maul Army, 89-60

It was certainly a black night for the Black Knight's of the Army men's basketball team. And more importantly, there were many bright spots for the Crimson in its 89-60 drubbing of Army at Lavietes Pavilion.

On a team level, Harvard's defense and rebounding were the keys to victory. Individually, freshman point guard Tim Hill's overall performance stands out as the highlight. And on an emotional level, the biggest moment was the return of senior captain Darren Rankin.

Harvard's stifling team defense held Army in check for the entire game. Harvard jumped out to an early 6-1 lead as Army's leading scorer and best shooter--senior Mark Lucking--went 0-3 in the first four minutes of the game. Containing Lucking--who scored 27 points in Army's season opener against Hobart--was crucial to Harvard's success. Lucking finished with 13 points on 4-for-16 shooting (1-7 on threes).

"We did such a good job on Lucking," coach Frank Sullivan said. "That was more important than our interior play. He's such a great shooter that it was a key for us to hold him down."

The rest of the Cadets team were held down as well. They did not get many shots off--49 compared to Harvard's 62--and when they did get them off, they didn't fall. The Black Knights only made 17 of those 49 shots (5 for-13 three pointers) for a .347 shooting percentage. Harvard on the other hand, made 33 of their 62 shots (4-8 three pointers) for a whopping .532 field goal percentage.

As well as the Crimson shot, its great defense was the real catalyst for its ever-expanding lead. That quick 6-1 lead slowly but surely expanded to 17-7 mid-way through the first half. Junior Kyle Snowden's nine first half points and senior Michael Gilmore's six helped stretch the lead to 35-24 at the half. The game seemed firmly in hand at the half because Harvard had overcome Army's one sustained run due to Harvard's superior foul shooting.

After a Lucking trey and a couple of foul shots got Army within four, the Cadet touch from the charity stripe vanished, and with it their momentum. Over the course of the last five minutes of the half Army went 4-for-9 from the line, including a stretch of 0-for-5 from their best foul shooter, Lucking. Army went 7-17 for the half from the line. Harvard, meanwhile, hit 7-of-8 from the line, a pleasant surprise.

Harvard opened the second half strongly. Its lead grew to 18 in the first five minutes. This occurred despite the fact that sophomore center Paul Fisher, who had four points and three rebounds while playing strong in the first half, fouled out on a trash-talking altercation with a Cadet. The referees called a double technical and Fisher's technical became his fifth personal foul. However, the Crimson lead still grew through this turmoil as Harvard continued to control the boards--by a final 46-to-28 advantage--and continued to put the points up. When Snowden finished a fast break with an emphatic slam with four minutes to go to make the score 76-48, the game was long over.

The dunk capped off a team-high 15 point, 12 rebound performance by the junior. Hill's 13 points came off 5-for-10 shooting (2-for-2 on three's). His eight assists and three steals led the team.

"Timmy's play has been really uplifting for this team," Sullivan said. "There is a level of confidence that our guys have with him. Army put pressure on and we needed ball-handling skills."

A freshman point guard is usually a source for concern for a team. Like Army, other opponents will attempt to rattle Hill with full-court pressure. Hill, for one, is not concerned.

"I probably will see a lot of pressure," Hill said. "But that plays to my game. I can use my quickness to break down the defense and get inside to find my teammates for easy baskets."

Hill's performance could only be matched in excitement generation by Rankin's return to the court. He first took the floor early in the first half.

"It took me a while to get my back warmed up," Rankin said. "But hopefully it will start to get better as the season progresses. It felt really good to get those first two points."

That basket came in the closing moments of the game. Rankin took a lob pass and drop-stepped to the basket and put the lay-up in the hole.

"It was good to see Darren in the game," Sullivan said. "We hope to see his minutes to continue to grow."

So does the team.

"Darren has been a real leader for us," Hill said. "He has kept us focused and motivated off the court." Army  60 Harvard  89

HARVARD, 89-60 at Lavietes Pavillion Army  24  36  --  60 Harvard  35  54  --  89

Army: Paulsen 0-1 0-0 0; Wilke 0-0 2-2 2; Gutierrez 1-4 0-0 3; Lueking 4-16 4-9 13; Kwasniak 0-0 2-2 2; Tatum 3-7 3-4 10; Inck 2-5 2-2 6; Preassel 1-2 0-0 3; Forbes 2-9 2-8 6; Glowe 3-4 5-8 12; Wands 1-1 1-2 3. TOTALS 1749 21 37 60.

HARVARD: Demian 1-5 4-4 6; Hill 5-10 1-2 13; Gilmore 6-11 0-1 12; Beam 0-0 3-4 3; Dexter 1-1 0-0 2; Weaver 6-11 0-0 14; Scott 2-3 2-2 6; Snowden 6-10 3-3 15; Rankin 1-2 0-0 2; Grancio 3-4 5-5 11; Fisher 2-5 0-0 4; Ewing 0-0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 3362 19 23 89.

HARVARD, 89-60 at Lavietes Pavillion Army  24  36  --  60 Harvard  35  54  --  89

Army: Paulsen 0-1 0-0 0; Wilke 0-0 2-2 2; Gutierrez 1-4 0-0 3; Lueking 4-16 4-9 13; Kwasniak 0-0 2-2 2; Tatum 3-7 3-4 10; Inck 2-5 2-2 6; Preassel 1-2 0-0 3; Forbes 2-9 2-8 6; Glowe 3-4 5-8 12; Wands 1-1 1-2 3. TOTALS 1749 21 37 60.

HARVARD: Demian 1-5 4-4 6; Hill 5-10 1-2 13; Gilmore 6-11 0-1 12; Beam 0-0 3-4 3; Dexter 1-1 0-0 2; Weaver 6-11 0-0 14; Scott 2-3 2-2 6; Snowden 6-10 3-3 15; Rankin 1-2 0-0 2; Grancio 3-4 5-5 11; Fisher 2-5 0-0 4; Ewing 0-0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 3362 19 23 89.

Army: Paulsen 0-1 0-0 0; Wilke 0-0 2-2 2; Gutierrez 1-4 0-0 3; Lueking 4-16 4-9 13; Kwasniak 0-0 2-2 2; Tatum 3-7 3-4 10; Inck 2-5 2-2 6; Preassel 1-2 0-0 3; Forbes 2-9 2-8 6; Glowe 3-4 5-8 12; Wands 1-1 1-2 3. TOTALS 1749 21 37 60.

HARVARD: Demian 1-5 4-4 6; Hill 5-10 1-2 13; Gilmore 6-11 0-1 12; Beam 0-0 3-4 3; Dexter 1-1 0-0 2; Weaver 6-11 0-0 14; Scott 2-3 2-2 6; Snowden 6-10 3-3 15; Rankin 1-2 0-0 2; Grancio 3-4 5-5 11; Fisher 2-5 0-0 4; Ewing 0-0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 3362 19 23 89.