Cagers Start The New Year With L's

Both the Harvard men's and women's basketball teams started the new year unfortunately Monday. Hartford dispatched the men 85-67 at Briggs Cage while Northeastern sent the women home with a 73-51 defeat at Cabot Gym.

While most Harvard students dealt with stormy weather conditions, the Crimson men had to fight through a swarming and effective Hartford press that held Harvard to a .413 shooting percentage for the game.

Behind its defense and sharp shooting from Mike Bond (30 points) and Gandhi Jordan (23 pts.), Hartford jumped out to a seemingly insurmountable 18-point lead at intermission. In the first five minutes of the second half, the Crimson watched the deficit expand to a distressing 29.

But sparked by a rejuvenated offense led by sophomore Mike Gilmore and junior James White, Harvard mounted an impressive comeback and pulled within 10 points with about three minutes to go. The Crimson would get no closer, however, and dropped to a record of 5-6 overall, 1-0 Ivy for the season.

"In the second half we played with more intensity and more aggressiveness," captain Tarik Campbell said. "We came out flat at the start and they really attacked us."

Harvard turnovers and poor first-half shooting (.267) allowed Hartford to dig the Crimson a huge hole, but players said the comeback proved that Harvard can play with anyone.

White and Gilmore led the team with 24 and 20 points respectively, and in one particular stretch at the end of the second period it appeared as if the two would not miss a shot they attempted.

"Mike and I have talked about how we both had been in shooting slumps earlier this season and about how we had to get out of them," White said. "In the past couple games it seems like both our touches are coming back. It's all about a little more confidence."

Freshman Kyle Snowden, who was named Ivy Rookie of the Week, continued to clean the boards. Snowden led the team with seven rebounds against Hartford.

Campbell, who dished out 11 assists Monday, said the team has played very well in the past two weeks.

"We played good games against Vanderbilt and Bucknell over break," Campbell said.

The Crimson lost 78-54 against the highly-ranked Commodores and slipped 80-73 against Bucknell.

"We should have beaten Bucknell," White said. "But we don't want to become the team of shouldas and couldas. We definitely have to work on playing a complete game."

Harvard faces the cream of the Ivy League crop, Pennsylvania and Princeton, this Friday and Saturday respectively, and White said the whole team is looking forward to both contests.

"This team has a lot of character, and we won't back down from anyone," White said. "This weekend we play the best, so let's get it on."

The Women

The Crimson women also faced some tough competition recently. Eighth-ranked Vanderbilt defeated Harvard 107-69 at Briggs Cage last Thursday, and Harvard's record has fallen to 2-8 overall, 0-0 Ivy.

Last season's rookie of the year, sophomore Elizabeth Proudfit scored 20 points against Vanderbilt and garnered league honors for her performance last week.

Against Northeastern, junior scoring and rebounding leader Tammy Butler scored 15 points and pulled down 17 boards, but it was just not enough as the Crimson could not keep up its first half intensity for the whole game.

Harvard trailed Northeastern by a mere four points at intermission but went cold in the second half, making seven of its 29 shots and mustering only 19 points.

Princeton and Pennsylvania come to Briggs this weekend as the women see their first league action of the season.