Box Score Laurent
Rivard now ranks fifth in team history with 135 career
3-pointers (Gil Talbot).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Laurent Rivard drained
5-of-10 3-point attempts, as the Harvard men's basketball team
improved to 2-1 on the year with a 79-45 win over Manhattan at
Lavietes Pavilion Friday evening.
Siyani
Chambers dished out seven assists to go along with 14 points,
and Christian
Webster added 12 points for Harvard, who had five players reach
double figures in scoring. Agunwa
Okolie (11) and Wesley
Saunders (10) also had the scoring touch for the Crimson. Emmy
Andujar had 12 points, and RaShawn Stores talled 11 points for
Manhattan, who falls to 0-2 on the season.
Harvard's 34-point is the largest for the Crimson since
defeating Daniel Webster by 43, 94-51, Dec. 28, 2008, and
Manhattan's 45 points was the fewest Harvard has allowed since
topping Brown, 69-42, of last year. The Crimson held Manhattan to
14-of-41 shooting (.341), and helped cause 26 turnovers by the
Jaspers.
After a slow start for both teams, Steve
Moundou-Missi sank two free throws at 17:42 to give Harvard a
2-0 edge. Moments later, Wesley Saunders went up for an offensive
rebound and finished with the hoop and the harm. Saunders make the
ensuing foul shot, putting the Crimson up, 5-2. With just over 15
minutes left, Siyani Chambers sent a pass to Rivard, who buried a
wide open trey. On Harvard's next possession, Rivard hit another
3-pointer, making it an 11-2 contest at 14:47.
After Harvard led, 14-7, Chambers made a steal in the Manhattan
zone and dribbled down the floor before being fouled. He headed to
the line and made both, making it 16-7, with just over 11 minutes
left. The Crimson added to its lead with a jumper in the lane
by Webster, and Rivard connected on another triple as Harvard
opened a 21-7 advantage. A Chambers floater on the next Crimson
possession made it 23-7 and forced Manhattan to call timeout.
Rivard knocked down his fourth 3-pointer with just over six
minutes left, as Harvard owned a 26-11 lead. At the final media
timeout of the half, Harvard was up, 31-11, causing 14 Manhattan
turnovers to that point. At the half, the Crimson took a 39-17
advantage into the locker room, as the Jaspers shot just 5-of-19
(.263) in the first half. Rivard led all players with 12 points on
4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes.
In the second, the Crimson defense continued to shut down the
Jaspers and led, 48-20, with 14:49 remaining. After Webster drilled
a 3-pointer, Jonah Travis
went to the line and made both, giving Harvard its largest lead to
that point. With just under 13 minutes left, Webster connected on a
jump shot, and then Agunwa Okolie threw down a dunk as Harvard went
up by 37, 59-22.
Harvard continued to control play on both sides of the floor
when Chambers stepped up and nailed an open 3-pointer at the 9:32
mark as the Crimson led by 39, 63-24. With 5:50 to play in the
second, Okolie put an exclamation point on the evening as he threw
down a monster, two-handed jam on the break, making it 67-30.
The Crimson will visit Saint Joseph's in a game shown live
nationally on NBC Sports Network Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 8
p.m.