Ranking Men's Basketball's Nonconference Opponents: No. 6

In a series that began on Sunday and will continue through the Crimson’s season opener on Nov. 10 against MIT, men’s basketball beat writer Stephen Gleason will look at Harvard’s 13 nonconference opponents. Coming in at No. 6 is George Washington.

No. 13: MIT

No. 12: Holy Cross

No. 11: Fordham

No. 10: Manhattan

No. 9: Massachusetts

No. 8: Wofford

No. 7: Northeastern

George Washington

2017-2018 Matchup: Saturday, December 23 at Charles E. Smith Athletic Center, Washington, D.C. (1:00 p.m.)

2016-2017 Record: 20-15 overall, 10-8 Atlantic Ten

2016-2017 Matchup: George Washington, 77, Harvard, 74

Head Coach: Maurice Joseph (2nd season)

Key Returning Players: senior guard Yuta Watanabe (averaged 35.1 minutes a season ago and brings size to the GW backcourt, put up 12.2 points per game); graduate forward Patrick Steeves (transfer from Harvard shot 48.2 percent from the field and started 10 games)

Stat to Watch: 6: the Colonials won six of their final seven games, including a victory over regular season conference champion Dayton

Overview: GW was picked to finish 11th in the 14-team Atlantic Ten. Maurice Joseph returns Watanabe and Steeves as wings but the rest of his bunch lacks experience. The Colonials will look to ride the momentum that they generated toward the end of last season to make their first NCAA Tournament since 2014.

—Staff writer Stephen J. Gleason can be reached at stephen.gleason@thecrimson.com.