M. Basketball Gets Weekend Sweep With Win Over Brown

Harvard’s seniors exited Lavietes Pavilion for the last time Saturday night with more than just memories to hold on to.

By beating Brown 80-68 on Senior Night, the Crimson (12-13, 7-5 Ivy) swept its first Ivy League weekend series since 2002. With its seventh league win, Harvard also guaranteed at least a .500 finish for the first time in three years, and completed back-to-back double-digit wins over Yale and Brown (10-15, 3-8) for the first time since 1999.

“It’s a big testament to what this team has done,” said senior point guard David Giovacchini. “Being 4-23 last year to going where we are now, that’s a big step...a lot of guys deserve a lot of credit.”

Beginning with the pregame ceremony—when the Harvard seniors were honored along with their families at center court—the Crimson seemed supremely confident and focused on its goal. Off of the opening tap, senior guard Kevin Rogus nailed a three pointer. Harvard never looked back, holding the lead wire-to-wire.

“It was real big for [the seniors] to finish out strong at home,” Harvard coach Frank Sullivan said. “They continue to believe not only that they can win every game...but that they can withstand any trials that happen in the game.”

The Crimson faced a tough challenge early the second half from Brown guard Jason Forte, the defending Ivy League Player of the Year. Harvard scored six straight points out of the break to take a 39-26 lead, but the Bears’ star guard quickly hit his offensive stride. Brown cut the lead to 41-39 on a remarkable coast-to-coast drive from Forte with 15:59 remaining, threatening to spoil the good feeling of the evening.

“He’s a great player,” captain Jason Norman said. “I did okay [guarding Forte in] the first half; the second half he was getting to the basket [and] I needed some help.”

Norman was picked up by Harvard’s two big men, as junior center Brian Cusworth and junior forward Matt Stehle scored the team’s next seven points to give Harvard some breathing room. The Crimson extended its lead to 60-48 with 8:05 remaining, and although Brown was able to cut the lead to five with 1:27 to play, Harvard hung on by hitting 6-of-6 from the stripe down the stretch.

Forte led all scorers with 23 points, including 18 in the second half. Harvard was paced on offense for the second straight night by Cusworth, who scored 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting. Stehle scored 16 points to go along with a game-high 13 boards and six assists. Giovacchini scored nine points and had a career high nine rebounds, while Rogus added 11 points.

“To go out the way we did, to beat Brown...it was a great game,” Rogus said. “I’m happy to leave on this note.”

For Harvard’s seniors—Norman, Rogus, Giovacchini and center Graham Beatty, who started and played in his 105th straight game—the win was the culmination of four years of work.

“They are the guts of the program,” Sullivan said. “It means so much to watch them walk out of here tonight with their heads up.”

—Staff writer Caleb W. Peiffer can be reached at cpeiffer@fas.harvard.edu.