Harvard Ready to Take Down the Terriers

As the Harvard men’s basketball team takes the floor tonight at Lavietes Pavilion against Boston University, it not only hopes to continue its winning ways, but also take the first step in establishing Beantown supremacy this season.

For the first time since the 1998-99 season, the Crimson will take on the three other Division I basketball teams in Boston, as it will face Northeastern and Boston College in addition to the Terriers.

Getting it on with neighboring schools in the quest to be the best in the area is nothing new for many of Harvard’s teams. Hockey, of course, has its annual Beanpot, as does Baseball. In addition, earlier in the day before the hoops teams meet at Lavietes, both Harvard fencing teams will compete in the Beanpot for fencing as they take on BC, MIT, and Brandeis. The basketball team settles for an unofficial Beanpot against fellow Olde Towne schools.

“All those games are going to be exciting games,” Crimson coach Tommy Amaker said. “We like to have that in this area where there’s bragging rights at stake. When you’re playing local schools it always can bring a different connotation to the game itself. I know our kids are excited about it.”

In the past, the big basketball schools did formally battle to see who was best in Beantown. A basketball Beanpot took place semi-regularly four times in the 1970s and the Crimson won half of those, taking the titles in 1973 and 1976. In fact, the 1976 was the last time that tournament was held, making Harvard the reigning basketball Beanpot champion.

Harvard will have to wait a bit longer for a chance to defend the title. While it plays each Boston school, Boston College will only face the Crimson this year, knocking this unofficial event out of perfect harmony. Not that this will make Harvard’s basketball derbies any less exciting.

“Anytime you can win games against local universities, local programs, some of your natural non-conference rivalries around this geographical area with so many schools, it’s a fun thing, it’s a neat thing,” Amaker said. “We are hoping it gives a chance to raise our profile.”

Harvard will need a strong performance if it is to beat the Terriers tonight. The Crimson have not beaten BU since the 2000-01 season, losing its last six, including a 79-72 setback last year. Leading the Terriers, who sport a 3-2 record entering tonight, is junior guard Corey Lowe, who scored a game-high 23 points in the meeting last year. He is averaging 17.2 points per game and is the biggest weapon in a talented BU backcourt.

“He’s a really, really good scorer and a dangerous, dangerous option that they have,” Amaker said. “There’s nothing he can’t do on the offensive end, he shoots it from 23, 24, 25 feet with ease. He can put it on the floor and get to the basket and he has great size and strength.”

Harvard, however, has its own arsenal of talented guards to go to battle with, led by junior guard and reigning Ivy League Player of the Week Jeremy Lin. He will team up with captain Andrew Pusar, senior Drew Housman, and freshman Max Kenyi as they battle Lowe and co.

“The guards have to close down on their shooters,” Pusar said. “They have really good guard play and shoot long three point shots. We have to get out to the shooters and prevent easy shots at the basket.”

With the short trip to Lavietes, the Terriers may bring another supplement to the derby to boost the team—its fans. Amaker hopes the Crimson’s own supporters can render the visiting faithful a moot point.

“We need a great environment, we need our arena to be a distinct home court advantage for us,” he said. “They’re right down the road, they’ve had a successful program, and they’re picked to win their conference this year. They’re a very strong team and have had a solid season thus far and I’m sure they’ll bring a number of their fans to cheer them on, so we’re hopeful that our environment can make a difference for us and get over the hump.”

—Staff writer Ted Kirby can be reached at tjkirby@fas.harvard.edu.