Finals Are Over, But Some Teams Still Have Tests

Most of Harvard’s student body has already left the bitter winter cold of Cambridge and (hopefully) headed someplace warmer.

But for a few Crimson teams, athletes have to stick around for games in the final 10 days of the year. Men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling all have contests before the start of 2011.

For the basketball teams, the contests are hardly the easy games the team might hope for over winter recess. The men will face undefeated No. 4 UConn tomorrow, easily its toughest (and highest-ranked) opponent of the season. The Huskies have won each of their last five games by more than 10 points.

In the waning days of 2010, men’s basketball will face Monmouth on Dec. 29 and MIT on New Year’s Eve day at Lavietes Pavilion.

The women, after their game against Sacred Heart tomorrow, will play Dayton on the road on Dec. 30. The 7-5 Flyers have played a number of big-conference opponents this season and are 3-2 at home. The visit to Ohio will be the last game of the year for Harvard, which is 2-3 in away games so far this season.

Wrestling—winless so far this year—will also visit the Midwest before the end of the year, competing at The Midlands in Evanston, Ill. in the team’s third tournament of the season. The Northwestern-hosted tournament, now in its 48th incarnation, is a chance for the Crimson to turn its season around before the end of 2010.

In tournament play earlier this year, after two blowout losses to Penn State and Michigan State, the team kept the contest close against Eastern Michigan, ultimately losing, 24-22.

Last year, Harvard took 24th in the tournament. In 2008, the Crimson finished in 21st.

After winter break, activity picks up for a number of other teams. But only these three Harvard squads have the chance to compete while some radio stations are still only playing Christmas music.