Crimson Looks To Get Back on Track

Conquering Goliath has its side effects.

Since Harvard men’s basketball took down Michigan, it has taken a tumble, losing four games in a row to beatable non-conference opponents. Last year, the Crimson posted a record of 3-1 against the same four teams.

“We can’t let this slide any further,” junior Drew Housman said. “I know the coaches and players are not going to accept this. We’re going to get it right.”

Harvard (4-8) has a chance to return to its old self over winter vacation, when it plays another set of non-conference games against Northeastern, Sacred Heart, and UC Irvine. Regaining momentum before starting play in the Ivy League will be crucial.

“We have a lot of talent, and a lot of skills, but we need to want it more,” sophomore Jeremy Lin said.

Harvard’s young season has been a roller coaster ride. Before the four-game losing streak, the Crimson showed it had potential to be a serious contender in the Ancient Eight when it upset Michigan and defeated Mercer, a team that had beaten then-No. 18 USC the week before.

Harvard, however, has been plagued by inconsistency, a pattern reflected in Sunday’s loss against Vermont. In the first half, the Crimson allowed the Catamounts to post a 30-8 run, but in the second half, Harvard went on a 24-3 run of its own.

Other than streaky play, rebounding has been a major issue for the Crimson. Against Vermont, Harvard was outrebounded 46-28.

“The biggest thing for us as a team—we have to start rebounding and trusting each other,” Lin said.

In all but one of Harvard’s defeats, the team has lost the battle of the boards. In all four wins, the Crimson has pulled down more rebounds than its opponents. The rebounding margin for the team is -5.1 rebounds per game on the season.

Harvard has also lost the turnover battle in three of the past four losses.

“There are two things we always talk about, especially on the road: to value the ball and to box out,” head coach Tommy Amaker said.

The first two games during break, against the Northeastern Huskies (Dec. 19) and the Sacred Heart Pioneers (Dec. 22) are away, a plague for Harvard who has lost all six of its games on the road this season.

The Huskies (3-5) are led by an inside-outside duo of Matt Janning (17 points per game) and Nkem Ojougboh (8.9 rebounds per game). If rebounding is indeed the key to victory, then the Crimson must shut down Ojougboh, a 6-foot-9 center.

The Pioneers (3-6) are currently on a three-game win streak. Like the Crimson, Sacred Heart has had trouble on the boards, posting a rebounding margin of -4.4.

After taking a short break for the holidays after the Sacred Heart game, the team will get right back to work at home—where Harvard is 3-1—against the UC Irvine Anteaters (Dec. 30).

The Anteaters (5-5), led by strong inside scoring, have also posted a negative rebounding margin (-3.3). But avoiding turning the ball over may be the key in avoiding a Crimson loss, as UC Irvine has capitalized on its +3.6 turnover margin.

The games against Sacred Heart and UC Irvine may have the extra incentive of revenge. Last season, Harvard was blown out by 20 against the Pioneers and by 33 against the Anteaters.

In the three non-conference matchups, Harvard will need production from its stars. Housman, the point guard and spark for the offense, leads the team with 13.8 points and 3.8 assists per game. Sophomore Pat Magnarelli, who has been on a hot streak, leads the team with 6.8 rebounds per game. Last week against Long Island, the forward had 22 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort.

Though the keys to victory in the next three games may come from improvements in rebounding and ball control, the way to improve may be less technical and more mental.

“We have to play stronger, we have to play tougher, we have to play smarter,” Lin said.

If Harvard can rebound and start playing like it did earlier in the season, who knows what it can accomplish heading into the Ivy League season, starting Jan. 5 against Dartmouth.

—Staff writer Jake I. Fisher can be reached at jifisher@fas.harvard.edu.