Notebook: Career Highs For Edosomwan Lead Harvard to Victory Over BYU

Harvard advanced to the semifinals of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic with an 85-82 overtime victory over BYU on Tuesday. Despite trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, the Cougars (7-4) had the Crimson (4-6) on the ropes several times in the final minutes of regulation. Key defensive stops and clutch shooting down the stretch ultimately were the difference for Harvard, which posted its first two-game win streak of the season.

DOUBLING DOWN

A balanced offensive attack catapulted the Crimson to a 19-3 lead to start the game. Each of Harvard’s starters scored, with many of the buckets coming on open layups or three pointers. BYU switched to zone defense after the game’s second media timeout in order to compensate for the Crimson’s hot shooters.

The strategy allowed junior forward Zena Edosomwan to have the most productive game of his collegiate career. Edosomwan finished the contest with a career-high 23 points and a Diamond Head Classic-record 17 rebounds. Edosomwan was quiet in the first half on offense, gathering nine rebounds on the defensive end but only finishing with five points.

“I really believe in this team, I know they’re going to look for me to make plays and make good reads,” Edosomwan said. “The guys just kept pushing me like, ‘we’re going to be fine.’ Just getting the confidence to continue to fight out there.”

That confidence was evident after the intermission. The junior continued to be a force on the glass but was much more efficient on the offensive end. Edosomwan went six-of-eight from the field and did not turn the ball over in the second half or overtime. Unlike in most contests this season, Edosomwan was not double-teamed by the opposing defense, and the Los Angeles native took advantage.

While the hot shooting of Harvard’s guards opened up the Cougar defense for Edosomwan early on, it was the offensive play of Edosomwan and senior forward Agunwa Okolie that allowed the Crimson to hit key shots down the stretch. After Edosomwan hit a free throw to tie the game at 49 with just under 10 minutes to play, classmate Corbin Miller buried a three on the next possession to give Harvard the lead. A few minutes later with just over six minutes to go in regulation, it was senior forward Pat Steeves following Edosomwan’s free throws with a three.

DIGGING IN DEFENSIVELY

On the surface, the offensive styles of the Crimson and BYU could not be more different. The calling card of coach Tommy Amaker’s Harvard teams is defense and preventing teams from scoring in transition. The Cougars pride themselves on spreading the floor and having their sharpshooting guards hit open jumpers. The Crimson’s victory was indicative of which style won out on Tuesday.

“We tried to do our best with staying locked in with their shooters,” Amaker said. “For the most part, we did that.”

Despite allowing more points than it has in a game all season, Harvard was able to hold BYU to just 3 three-pointers and two fast break points. Entering the game, the Cougars were averaging 8.4 three-point field goals a contest to go along with nine fast break points. Despite allowing BYU to shoot 50 percent, the Crimson had one more shot attempt than the Cougars.

Junior forward Kyle Davis torched Harvard for 23 points, but the Crimson was much more willing to concede points inside than treys to BYU’s dangerous outside shooters.

“He was really crafty,” Edosomwan said. “He was really hard to guard because that shot’s so consistent and so automatic and he hit a lot of those. He’s really tough, he played a heck of a game, a lot of credit to him.”

The bend-but-don’t-break defense of Harvard may have been most on display with the game on the line. The Crimson was down by as many four in the extra session and the Cougars’ potent offense finally looked like it was hitting its stride.

BYU had come away with points on its first eight possessions of overtime. Cougar baskets on possessions nine and ten would have put the game out of reach, but the Harvard defense forced Collinsworth and freshman guard Nick Emery into turnovers that led to four made free throws by Okolie and a spot in the semifinals for the Crimson.