Beware of Elis, Bruins

The Harvard men's basketball team enters its second major Ivy League weekend with an 0-3 record. Its scheduled opponents have also had three league losses--combined.

And as a matter of fact, the Crimson's Friday night opponent, Yale (8-8 overall, 2-2 Ivy), and its Saturday night opponent, Brown (9-7 overall, 3-1 Ivy) have handed each other a loss apiece.

The Bruins knocked off the Elis in Providence, 68-65, in both squads' first league contest. But just last weekend, Yale avenged the loss with a 73-70 victory in New Haven.

Harvard, still looking for its first Ivy victory, is fresh off its loss to Duke--but from this point on, the cagers will face only league opponents.

"I'm expecting both of them [Yale and Brown] to keep playing well; they've been playing well all year," Crimson Coach Pete Roby said. "We're anxious to get back into league play."

Center Chris Dudley leads the way for the Elis, averaging 16.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, overall. In league action, however, the 6-ft., 10-in. junior's stats become even more impressive.

Dudley is currently the leading Ivy scorer, with 23.5 points (and 12.3 rebounds) per game. For his exploits over the stretch in which Yale faced Brown, Cornell and Columbia on the road-during which time he recorded 71 points and 36 rebounds--Dudley was named Co-Ivy League Player of the Week.

Also providing punch for the hosts will be a pair of forwards, 6-ft., 4-in. guard Matt Whitehead (10.6 p.p.g.) and 6-ft., 7-in. forward Paul Maley (8.5 p.p.g.).

Maley, in fact, snagged last week's Ivy Player of the Week honors with a 25-point, 12-rebound performance in his squad's defeat of the Bruins.

Hot Brownies

Brown (9-7 overall, 3-1 Ivy), meanwhile, has been the surprise of the Ivies. After compiling just a 5-9 league record in '84-'85 (good enough for a seventh place standing), the Bruins are currently sitting atop the Ancient Eight.

They are paced by 6-ft., 9-in. senior center Jim Turner, who has been hitting at a clip of 14.8 points per game to complement his 7.8 rebounds per contest.

The only other Bruin averaging in double digits is 6-ft., 2-in. senior guard Mike Waitkus (13.5 p.p.g.), who leads the squad in assists with 64.

"This is a tough stretch for us," Roby admitted. "I'm just hoping we'll get to see the results of all the hard work we've put in, and get some positive reinforcement."