Battling Injuries, Harvard Men’s Basketball Seeks to Continue Strong Start in Ivy League Opener

Harvard men’s Basketball opens its 2023-2024 Ivy League campaign Saturday on the road against defending champions Princeton, a major first test for the Crimson as it begins conference play.

The Crimson closed out its non-conference schedule on Tuesday, defeating the University of Albany 76-71 in the fifth game of a four game homestand that also included wins over Army West Point and Holy Cross, as well as a loss to Iona (where Crimson alum Idan Tretout is playing for his fifth season).

Harvard (9-4) has enjoyed a strong start to the season, recording six wins in seven games on home court, and victories over teams from five different conferences. Early in the season, first-year guard Malik Mack emerged as one of the top scoring first-years in the nation. Over the first ten games of the season, Mack is averaging 20.1 points and 4.4 assists a game, placing him at 21st in scoring in the NCAA.

Both Mack and senior forward Justice Ajogbor have been sidelined for the Crimson in recent games. Ajogbor underwent hand surgery after a Nov. 26 game against Indiana University, but will return later in the season, while Mack is out to mononucleosis and will miss an indefinite amount of time.

In the absence of Mack and Ajogbor, Harvard has been led in scoring by sophomore forward Chisom Okpara who is averaging 17.9 points per game this season. Okpara put up a career-high 26 points against Holy Cross on December 21st, including two crucial game-winning free throws to earn him Ivy Co-Player of the Week honors. He once again scored a team-high 22 points on 7-of-12 field goals against Albany.

“I thought Chisom Okpara coming off the bench for us really gave us the shot in the arm that we needed,” Head Coach Tommy Amaker said. “He played exceptionally well other than his free throw shooting.”

“I’m really pleased for our team and how they responded,” Amaker added.

Harvard’s bench has also been crucial. On Tuesday, the Crimson outscored Albany 38-9 in points from players off the bench.

Junior guard Louis Lesmond, who recorded a career-high 16 points, three steals and six rebounds, said that the Crimson’s season-best bench performance after the game reflected a strong team-effort to fill the hole left by injuries to starters.

“We had a couple of guys that were out, and the guys were ready to step in and embrace their role and they did great and helped us a lot to get this win,” said Lesmond.

Freshman forward Thomas Batties II posted his second-straight double-double, as well as 10 rebounds against Albany. The first-year is the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Week and has scored in double figures four times this season.

When asked about the significance of winning the final preparation game before Ivy League play, Lesmond emphasized the importance of the team win.

“I think it’s pretty important to protect the home court first, bounce back from last game’s loss, get a good team win, be all together, and be ready for the Ivy League coming up,” he said.

In order to secure a place in the end-of-season Ivy League tournament, Harvard will need to finish in the top four of the Ivy League. Last season, the Crimson posted a 5-9 conference record, finishing seventh in the Ivy League only ahead of Columbia.

Harvard’s 2022-23 campaign also started on the road against Princeton in a tight contest that ended 66-69. That loss was one of four single-possession losses for the Crimson, a testament to the fine margins and competitiveness of Ivy League play. This season, Harvard will be hoping to turn those margins in its favor as it pushes for an Ivy League championship and ticket to the March Madness tournament.

The Tigers have started the season where they left off after last season’s fairytale run to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament. Princeton is 5-0 at home and 6-1 on the road this season, heading into its matchup with the Crimson. The game will tip off on Saturday at 2:00 pm EST (ESPN+/SNY/NBC Sports Philadelphia).

—Staff writer Alexander K. Bell can be reached at alexander.bell@thecrimson.com.