Freshman Laurent Rivard is averaging 7.2 points per game
during his rookie season (Gil Talbot).Co
The Particulars
Harvard, which boasts a 2-0 record at home and has won its last
four games overall, plays host to Fordham in a midweek
non-conference matchup at Lavietes Pavilion Wednesday evening.
Series History
The Crimson and Rams have played nine times in a series that dates
back to the 1962-63 campaign. Fordham owns a 7-2 series lead
against Harvard and has won the last three games between the
schools since 1978-79. The Crimson boasts a 1-1 mark against
Fordham at home.
Last Time Out
Harvard defeated a team from a BCS opponent for the fourth straight
season, as the Crimson knocked off Colorado by a score of 82-66
Sunday afternoon at Lavietes Pavilion. Christian Webster led
Harvard with 20 points, while Keith Wright (19 points, nine
rebounds) and Oliver McNally (17 points, five assists) also shot
the ball well against the Buffaloes.
The Crimson handed out 22 assists on 25 field goals and shot 51
percent from the field as a team (25-of-49). With the win, Harvard
earned its first victory over a team from the Big XII
conference.
Fordham's Last Time Out
The Rams made six free-throws in the final minute of action to down
Hartford, 61-57, Saturday evening. Fordham, who has yet to play a
road game this season, was led offensively by the trio of Alberto
Estwick (16 points, five rebounds), Branden Frazier (15 points,
five rebounds) and Chris Gaston (14 points, six rebounds). Marvin
Dominique came down with a game-high 11 rebounds, as the Rams
outrebounded Hartford, 38-25. The Rams hit all 10 of its chances
from the charity stripe in the second half, finishing 11-of-13 for
the game (.846).
Conference Records
Harvard owns a 16-36 record against teams that are current members
of the Atlantic 10 conference.
Great Spot On The Calendar
The Crimson concluded November with a 4-1 record during the month.
Harvard dropped its season opener at George Mason, but then rattled
off four straight victories against Holy Cross, Mercer, Bryant and
Colorado.
Hot Hand
Keith Wright has made 33-of-45 shots from the floor this season for
a shooting percentage of .733. Wright, who is a 55 percent
shooter for his career, entered the week ranked sixth in the nation
in shooting percentage. Wright was 8-of-11 in his 19-point
performance against Colorado.
Winning By Effort
The Crimson has scored 56 points on second-chance opportunities
this season, including 19 in the win over Colorado.
Home Boys
Harvard set a modern day record for consecutive home wins with 10
spanning from the 2008-09 season to 2009-10, including a program
record nine straight wins against Division I teams. The
Crimson is currently riding a five-game winning streak at Lavietes
Pavilion.
Harvard has also collected 10 consecutive victories against
non-conference opponents at Lavietes dating back to the 2008-09
season.
He's Honored...Again!
Keith Wright garnered his second Ivy League Player of the Week
honor Monday after helping the Crimson to a 2-0 record last week.
Wright netted a career-high 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for
his second double-double of the season in Harvard's 69-66 win
at Bryant Nov. 24. He then posted the best all-around performance
of his career in the 82-66 victory over Colorado, as he tallied 19
points, collected nine rebounds, handed out six assists and blocked
three shots. Wright also earned Ivy Player of the Week honors Nov.
15, while Christian Webster was tabbed Co-Player of the Week Nov.
22.
Complete Team Effort
Three Crimson players scored 17 or more points in Harvard's
82-66 victory over Colorado Nov. 28. Christian Webster amassed 20
points, while Keith Wright added 19 and Oliver McNally chipped in
with 17, going 4-of-5 from the floor, including 3-of-3 from beyond
the arc, and was 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Conference Watch
The Crimson has earned victories over teams from the Patriot
League, Atlantic Sun, Northeast Conference and Big XII this season.
Harvard defeated teams from 10 different conferences during the
2009-10 season.
Feeling It Around From Long Range
At least one Harvard player has made at least two three pointers in
all three games this season. In the win over Colorado, Oliver
McNally and Christian Webster each drained three treys, while
Laurent Rivard hit two three pointers. The Crimson has hit 37 shots
from long range on the season.
Winning Mark
Harvard has won 39 of its last 62 games (.629) dating back to the
start of the 2008-09 season and 25 of its last 34 contests (.734)
since the beginning of the 2009-10 campaign. With the hot streak,
the Crimson has improved to 47-45 (.511) under head coach Tommy
Amaker.
Back In Play
Sophomore Kyle Casey, the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year,
saw action for the first time this season in the Crimson's
victory at Bryant Nov. 24. Casey, who missed the first three
games because of a foot injury, scored five points in only 14
minutes of action against the Bulldogs. Casey, who was named
to every preseason All-Ivy League team, blocked two shots in 13
minutes in the Crimson's 82-66 victory over Colorado Nov.
28.
Harvard Against the BCS
The Crimson will play four teams from BCS conferences this season:
Colorado (Big XII), Michigan (Big Ten), Connecticut (Big East) and
Boston College (ACC). Harvard. which went 1-2 against BCS
teams last year, boasts a 1-0 mark against BCS schools this season
after downing Colorado Nov. 28. The Crimson owns a 4-5 record
against BCS conference schools under head coach Tommy Amaker.
Halftime Report
Going back to the 2004-05 season, Harvard is 65-15 when leading at
halftime and 18-68 when trailing a game at the break. The
Crimson stands 3-0 when leading at the half this year and came back
from a one-point deficit at halftime against Bryant Nov. 24.
Season Honors
Keith Wright........ Ivy Player of the Week (Nov. 15)
Christian Webster.............. Ivy Co-Player of the Week (Nov.
22)
Keith Wright........ Ivy Player of the Week (Nov. 29)
Double-Double Show
Keith Wright's 22-point, 16-rebound performance at George
Mason Nov. 13, was Harvard's first double-double of the
season. Brandyn Curry followed with the first double-double
of his career against Holy Cross Nov. 17, handing out 12 assists
and scoring10 points. Wright added another double-double at Bryant
Nov. 24, scoring a career-best 24 points and collecting 10
rebounds.
Head Coach Tommy Amaker
Tommy Amaker (Duke '87) begins his fourth season as head
coach of the Harvard men's basketball team. He registered his
200th career coaching victory Nov. 13 in the 2009-10 season opener
at Holy Cross. Amaker guided Harvard to its first postseason
appearance since 1946, as the Crimson competed in the
CollegeInsider.com Tournament last season.
He brings a 224-183 career head coaching record into
today's game, including a 109-83 record at Michigan at a
68-55 record at Seton Hall. Amaker is 47-45 at the helm of the
Crimson.
Amaker came to Harvard after a six-year stint as Michigan's
head coach. Inheriting a program that was reeling from
institutional and NCAA sanctions, he led the Wolverines to the
postseason three times, winning the 2004 NIT title, reaching the
championship game of the 2006 NIT, and advancing to the second
round of the 2007 tournament. The 2006-07 season was
Michigan's second straight 20-win campaign and its third in
four years. The Wolverines were ranked as high as No. 20 in the
nation during the 2005-06 season.
Milestone Watch
Oliver McNally hit the 400-point mark at Bryant Nov. 24, and needs
82 more points to reach the 500 plateau.
Keith Wright surpassed the 200 field-goal mark for his career
against Colorado (207) and is just nine points away from scoring
500. Wright also has 286 rebounds, just 14 away from grabbing
300.
Kyle Casey needs eight field goals for 100 in his career.
Brandyn Curry surpassed the 250-point mark and 100-rebound mark at
Bryant Nov. 24 and needs just 23 assists for 150.
Christian Webster has grabbed 94 rebounds in his career, just six
shy of 100 and hit six field goals against Colorado to move past
the 100-plateau, giving him 103 made baskets in his career.
Keeping Everyone Involved
Harvard handed out 22 assists on 25 field goals in the
Crimson's 82-66 win over Colorado Nov. 28. Brandyn Curry had
eight assists, while Keith Wright dished out six helpers and
McNally added five dishes.
