Men's Basketball Looks To Continue Hot Start

After outscoring their first three opponents by an average of 28 points, the Harvard men’s basketball team (3-0) shouldn’t see much standing in the way of another victory in Wednesday’s home game against Bryant (2-1), except a transfer from the Ivy League.

Bulldogs guard Dyami Starks, who came to Bryant from Columbia after his freshman year, leads the nation in scoring, averaging 33.3 points per game in the team’s first three games of the season.

The Crimson is well aware of Starks’ scoring proficiency and is hoping to contain him, but the team realizes it will require a concerted effort.

“We’re really trying to play defense as a team,” senior captain Laurent Rivard said. “We’ll definitely have our individual assignments. But it will be a team effort to defend [Starks]. We just need to be cautious of where he is on the break or in the half court.”

Harvard coach Tommy Amaker recognizes the capabilities of a team whose only loss is to No. 13/12 Gonzaga. Bryant has further caught the Crimson’s attention by notching an early victory over Ivy League foe Dartmouth on its home court.

“We have our hands full,” Amaker said. “There’s no question about [Stark’s] ability on the perimeter. They’re a good basketball team. As much as anything, I think they bring a sense of confidence right now.”

Starks is not the only member of the high-scoring Bulldogs who presents a challenge to the Crimson. Senior forward Alex Francis currently sits 460 points away from being the first player in Northeast Conference history with 2,000 career points and was selected for the the First Team All-NEC as a junior.

Francis and Starks provide a significant one-two punch for Bryant, giving them the ability to play inside-out as they rotate between perimeter scoring and physical low post play. In addition, Francis is averaging over seven rebounds per game.

“[Covering Stark and Francis] will still be a team effort,” Amaker said. “It’s not going to be one or two guys that have to do it by themselves. We never think that’s the right philosophy. You can get so fixated on guys who have these kinds of numbers that you take your eyes off other players that end up becoming the difference, and you’re not prepared to deal with them.”

Tonight’s game will likely be won by the team that can provide a stronger defense, as both squads have demonstrated their high-scoring tendencies. Harvard has averaged 79 points per game, while Bryant is scoring over 83 per contest.

The Bulldogs have limited the scoring opportunities of their previous opponents by alternating between full court press, zone, and man-to-man defensive strategies. Amaker has noted these tendencies and has planned accordingly.

“We need to be in attack mode and have some great pace and rhythm about us no matter what defense they’re in,” Amaker said. “We’re hoping we won’t get thrown off or get out of whack by a change in defense.”

Unquestionably, Harvard’s defense will be tested tonight, especially due to the stricter calling of fouls this season on defense. After experiencing foul trouble in the past few games, Amaker hopes to use this aggressive style of play to limit and frustrate the Bulldogs without giving them unnecessary points from the free throw line.

“You have to stick with your identity and your philosophy, and we need to see if we can play our defense without fouling,” Amaker said. “If you’re not alert and aware, your concentration isn’t at the height that it should be, and you end up giving silly fouls, and those are the ones that are very disappointing.”

Unexpected injuries have led the Crimson to turn to the bench in search of some points and defensive assistance, with Amaker mentioning junior Jonah Travis and sophomore Agunwa Okolie as potentially key contributors in the absence of Kenyatta Smith and Brandyn Curry.

“We’re looking at it as an opportunity for other players to get better and grow in confidence and get extended minutes,” Amaker said. “I think they’ve really taken advantage of it.”

Harvard is looking to dominate at home, hoping to use the next month before Ivy League play to optimize multiple facets of its game before opening the conference season against Dartmouth on January 11.

“All the teams that we’ve played so far have had different styles of play and a different emphasis on what they do, and then we have to deal with that accordingly,” Amaker said. “Learning with our program in terms of personnel, and then growing once we get everyone healthy so we’re able to find a rhythm down the road will hopefully prepare us as we keep moving forward throughout the season.”