Plutnicki Scores 18 Points As Cagers Destroy Dartmouth

It happened seven minutes into the second half of the 11th game of the season, but there can be no doubt about it: the Harvard men's basketball team has arrived.

The cagers exploded for a 12-2 rally en route to a 73-55 dismembering of visiting Dartmouth Saturday night, the Crimson's third straight victory and further evidence of the squad's stunning turnaround.

Harvard carries a 6-5 overall record into tonight's Briggs Athletic Center showdown with St. Anselm. In their only other Ivy game this season, the cagers bowed to Dartmouth, 53-51, December 1.

But the squad that traveled to Hanover last month and the team that hammered the Big Green Saturday night had little more than the players names in common.

Right now we're a whole different team," junior forward Ken Plutnicki said after notching a career-high 18 points Saturday. "Our defense is so much better, and the whole attitude is team-oriented."

Three cagers hit double figures and strong defense played a key role in the Crimson's revenge over the Big Green But though Harvard played a solid it uninspired first stanza, the squad found itself on the short end of a 35-31 score nearly seven minutes into the second half.

Then things finally came together for Harvard While holding Dartmouth to just two points in six minutes, the cagers tossed in 12 of its own to convert its biggest deficit of the game into its biggest lead.

Plutnicki broke the ice, netting Harvard's first points in three minutes on a short banker. Then Bob Ferry blocked a short, caught the ball and lobbed it to the streaking Calvin Dixon, who deflected it ahead, gained control and drove in for the tying layup.

After Greg Wildes hit a baseline jumper to balance a Dartmouth tally. Dixon nabbed a steal and broke away for the lay-in that put the Crimson on top to stay. Monroe Trout added a back-door bucket to stretch the margin to four, and Pluinicki finished what he had started with a baseline 12-footer.

Dartmouth later cut the margin to three, but with just four minutes left the cagers mounted an 8-0 spurt to put the contest out of reach.

"We sort of died the last 10 minutes." Dartmouth Coach Tim Cohane said after the game. "It was certainly a closer game than 18 points."

But Crimson Caoch Frank McLaughlin emphasized a different aspect of the duel the consistent hard play of his charges and their steady offensive success. "When you play hard and keep the pressure on them there's gonna be a time when they play average," McLaughlin said.

Throughout the night, Harvard's guards penetrated the Big Green defense virtually at will. Meanwhile, Trout and Plutnicki freed themselves for back-door layins. The Crimson's longest successful shots of the night came from the foul stripe.

On defense the Crimson forced Dartmouth to shoot from the perimeter much of the time, but the Big Green managed to connect with regularity and stayed close through most of the game. The one man Harvard couldn't stop was Paul Anderson, the 6-ft. 5-in forward who hit 10 of 12 from the floor en route to a game-high 26 points.

But even Anderson's outstanding performance failed to overshadow the Crimson's spectacular turnaround.

Said a pleased McLaughlin after the game. "We've come a long, long way."

THE NOTEBOOK: The cagers' win was John Fenton's 50th career victory as the Harvard basketball head manager.

Dartmouth (55)

Sells 0-3 0-0 0 Kilroy 4-8 0-0 8. Anderson 10-12 8-6 26. Schroeder 2-6 0-0 4. Burke 1-7 1-3 3, Collins 5-6 0-0 10. McNamara 0-0 0-1 0. Lewis 0-1 0-0 0. Stewart 0-2 0-0 0. Tobin 1-1 0-0 2. Hill 1-2 0-0 2. McDonald 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-48 7-10 55.

Harvard (73)

Dixon 6-14 3-4 15 Ferry 5-10 2-4 12, Plutnicki 5-6 8-11 18, Trout 3-7 0-1 6, White 0-0 0-0 0. Wildes 2-2 2-4 6. Bernard 1-1 4-4 6. Boyle 0-0 0-0 0, Mitchell 0-0 2-2 2 Smith 1-1 0-0 2 Standley 0-0 6-7 6 Farley 0-0 0-0 0 Harnice 0-0 0-0 0 Totals 23-41 27-37 73. Dartmouth  23  32--56 Harvard  28  48--73

Fouled out--Anderson Schroeder Rebounds--Harvard 20 (Plutnicki 6) Dartmouth 19 (Anderson 9) Assists--Dartmouth 11 (Kilroy 4). Harvard 10 (Ferry 3) Total fouls--Dartmouth 27 Harvard 16 A-600.

Fouled out--Anderson Schroeder Rebounds--Harvard 20 (Plutnicki 6) Dartmouth 19 (Anderson 9) Assists--Dartmouth 11 (Kilroy 4). Harvard 10 (Ferry 3) Total fouls--Dartmouth 27 Harvard 16 A-600.