M. Hoops Travels South to Face Ivy Powerhouses Penn and Princeton

As the midpoint of the Ivy League season nears, and as it heads into its toughest weekend of the season, the Harvard men's basketball team finds itself in no-man's land in the Ancient Eight standings.

Last weekend's home sweep of Yale and Brown--each by 18 points--has brought the Crimson (9-9, 3-3 Ivy) to the middle of the Ivy pack, standing alone in fourth place in the league.

Harvard must now bring its new-found momentum against the Ivy League's elite--Penn and Princeton. Although they currently trail Dartmouth in the standings, the Tigers (13-4, 4-0 Ivy) and Quakers (12-3, 4-0 Ivy)--who are both undefeated in league action--were everybody's choice to finish one-two in the Ivies, and both have looked every bit the part thus far.

Unfortunately for the Crimson, the team may not be at full strength. Captain Paul Fisher, a center, and sophomore power forward Tim Coleman may be out because of illness. Fisher struggled last weekend, battling what Harvard Coach Frank Sullivan described as the flu. Coleman missed both games with bronchitis. If Coleman and Fisher are not able to play, Harvard will look to senior center Bill Ewing to fill the void.

Ewing--who at 6'9 is the team's tallest player--is known more for his defensive presence and shot-blocking ability than his offense. Ewing is fourth in the Ivy in blocks with 1.5 per game.

Despite the uncertainty in the paint, Harvard will still send up its best player--senior point guard Tim Hill.

A four-year starter, Hill is having another marvelous season. He is fifth in the Ivies in scoring with 16.2 points per game, second in steals with 2.2 per contest and leads the league in assists, dishing out 6.5 per game.

Hill is the reigning Ivy League Player of the Week after tallying 34 points, 16 assists, two rebounds and two assists in the sweep of Brown and Yale. He must continue his sensational play if the Crimson is to have a chance this weekend.

Harvard also needs strong performances from senior guard Mike Beam and sophomore forward Dan Clemente to threaten Penn and Princeton.

Beam is one of the league's best long-range shooters and is coming off of perhaps the best weekend in his career. He scored 40 points, with 10 three-pointers in the wins against Brown and Yale.

Clemente is the team's strongest scoring threat. His 6'8 frame, along with his tremendous shooting touch, makes him extremely tough to defend. He must hit his shots this weekend to create mismatches for Harvard. On the season Clemente is averaging 12.6 points per game, second only to Hill.

Tonight the Crimson is in New Jersey to take on Princeton. The Tigers boast a very talented lineup that is out to prove it is still a team to be reckoned with, even with the departure of standout center Steve Goodrich, and star point guard Mitch Henderson.

Leading the way for Princeton is talented senior swingman, Gabe Lewullis. Lewullis leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, respectively. The athletic 6'6 forward also has a sweet shooting stroke, having connected on 41 shots from behind the are this season.

To go along with his offensive talents, Lewullis also boasts a great defensive game. He is third in the Ivy League in steals with two takeaways per contest.

Also adding firepower for the Tigers is 6'2 senior guard Brian Earl. Earl is second on the squad in scoring with 14.41 points per game and leads Princeton in assists per game with 3.4. Earl--who is 17 three pointers away from the Ivy League's all-time mark--also leads the team from downtown, having hit 44 shots from distance.

In the middle for the Tigers stands 6'10 freshman center Chris Young. Young averages 5.2 boards per game and dishes out 2.6 assists per contest. Furthermore, Young is coming into the weekend at the top of his game. Last week the freshman had 40 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists, eight blocks and three steals in three games.

With the status of Clemente and Fisher uncertain for the weekend, the Crimson could have its hands full with the Tigers' big man.

Tomorrow evening, Harvard will be in Philadelphia to take on Penn in the famed Palestra. Penn was picked by many to dethrone Princeton from atop the Ivy League, and with a close loss to Kansas and an upset of Temple earlier this season, the Quakers have proved themselves to be a contender.

Penn is led by its sensational junior point guard Michael Jordan. Jordan (no relation), an All-Ivy candidate, leads Penn with 14.4 points and 4.6 assists per game. The former Ivy League Rookie of the Year has improved with each season, and should be a tough match-up for Hill.

Joining Jordan in the backcourt is junior Matt Langel. Langel is averaging 12.1 points and 3.1 assists per contest. Langel's quickness and 6'5 size may cause some problems for the Crimson guards.

Geoff Owens, a 6'11 junior center, adds a strong inside presence for the Quakers. Owens leads the team in boards with 7.2 per game and is second in the Ivy in blocked shots, with 2.0 per game. Owens, along with 6'7 senior forward Paul Romanczuk (6.3 rebounds per game), will also cause headaches for the Crimson if Fisher and Coleman are out.

Harvard needs its big men to be able to play, and play effectively. If that happens, the team plays solid defense and Clemente and Hill can muster up great performances, the Crimson may have a shot a knocking off the Ivy elite.