Crimson Led By Unheralded Players

WORCESTER, Mass. -- The location may have been different, but the scene was eerily reminiscent of a similar game played exactly 52 weeks ago.

In that game, the Holy Cross Crusaders marched into Lavietes Pavilion looking to give another set of seniors a 4-0 career record against the Crimson. The Crimson battled the Crusaders throughout the first half and the score was close at the break. It stayed close early in the second period until an 8-0 run turned a tie game into a 44-36 Holy Cross lead. The Crimson clawed back to within four, but a 10-2 run put the game away for Holy Cross.

This time, a 10-0 run early in the second half gave Ralph Willard’s squad a 36-29 lead. The Crimson got it back within three, but three quick baskets pushed the Crusaders’ advantage to 42-33 and got the home faithful out of their seats.

“We got down…but we didn’t fold it in,” said senior guard Mike Beal, who led Harvard with ten rebounds. “We had the confidence to keep going. It shows that we’re a lot older and a lot more mature.”

Faster than you can say “Ko Yada,” the Crimson responded with a 10-0 run of its own. Holy Cross tied it up at 43, but a Brian Cusworth free throw moments later gave Harvard a lead it would not relinquish.

FRESH FACES

Junior guard Ko Yada picked a great time to nail his first career three-pointer. With the game seemingly slipping away and the Crusaders riding a wave of momentum, the reserve stepped up and drained a crucial shot.

The field goal, arguably the most important shot of the game, jumpstarted the aforementioned 10-0 Harvard run and took the air out of the Holy Cross’ sail.

Moments later, Yada tipped in a free throw miss from Brian Cusworth to push the lead to three.

“Ko’s tip in gave us even more momentum,” said Harvard coach Frank Sullivan. “It made us feel like, ‘Alright, we can win this game.’”

Freshman point guard Drew Hausman also stepped up in this, his first collegiate game outside of Cambridge. Three days after notching 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists in his debut against Vermont, Hausman showed he was no fluke, posting 13, three, and three against the Crusaders.

Sullivan was impressed with the play of his rookie point guard.

“I think he’s been terrific in his first two games,” Sullivan said. “He has good poise.”

LOOK IN THE MIRROR

The Crimson and the Crusaders began this season with similar profiles. Each was picked to finish second in its respective conference’s preseason poll, Harvard behind Penn and Holy Cross behind Bucknell.

Harvard has never won an Ivy League Crown, while Holy Cross claimed the Patriot League regular season title just last year and has made several NCAA tournament appearances already this decade.

Each team also placed two players on its Preseason All-Conference First Team. Crusader guards Kevin Hamilton and Keith Simmons were both selected to repeat in the Patriot League, while Harvard’s senior captain Matt Stehle and junior center Brian Cusworth, the Ivy League’s top two returning scorers and rebounders, were chosen.

Neither Hamilton nor Stehle, two players producing conference Player of the Year buzz, had his best results last night. Hamilton, who burned the Crimson with 18 points last year, was held to 10 on 3-16 shooting. Stehle struggled to 10 points on 3-10 shooting, though he did have eight boards, four assists, and three blocks.

POINTS IN THE PAINT

Harvard received a single point in this week’s Associated Press Top 25. This is believed to be the first time The Crimson has appeared on any voter’s ballot…All five Crimson starters scored in double figures…Harvard shot 53.2percentfrom the field; Holy Cross finished last year ranked 7th in Division 1 in field goal percentage defense…Harvard stopped Hamilton just short of reaching the 1000-point milestone. He has 995 in his career…This was Harvard’s first win in their last six attempts against the Crusaders.

—Staff writer Gregory B. Michnikov can be reached at michnik@fas.harvard.edu.