Chambers scored 11 points and dished out six assists in the victory (Bruce Yeung).

NEW YORK CITY – The Harvard men's basketball team bounced back in a big way Saturday night, defeating Columbia on its home floor In front of a sold-out crowd, 80-70.

Harvard needed a big effort out of Wesley Saunders and Steve Moundou-Missi to get the win, and the seniors responded in kind. Saunders finished the night with 21 points, five assists and four rebounds, while Moundou-Missi totaled 17 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the year.

Siyani Chambers contributed 11 points and six assists, and Corbin Miller scored 14 points in the second half. The Crimson shot 58.7 percent (27-46) for the game, dishing out 17 assists on 27 made baskets.

Harvard improved to 20-6 overall and 10-2 in the Ivy League with the win, setting up a first-place showdown with Yale next weekend following the Bulldogs' (21-8, 10-2 Ivy League) 55-50 victory over Penn. The winner of Friday's game at Lavietes Pavilion will earn at least a share of the Ancient Eight title, and if either team can sweep next weekend it will also secure the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Harvard also made history Saturday night, reaching 20 wins for a sixth straight season to match Penn (1969-75) for the longest streak of 20-win seasons in Ivy League history.

Harvard was in attack mode early, with Chambers and Saunders getting to the rim for a 4-0 lead. On the ensuing defensive possession Saunders came away with a steal and found Moundou-Missi for the flush, and after free throws from Zena Edosomwan and Saunders the score stood at 9-2.

With Harvard on top 15-7, Maodo Lo scored seven straight points during a 9-2 run to pull Columbia within one, 17-16. The Crimson quickly responded with an 11-1 stretch of its own, opening up a 28-17 margin with 4:43 remaining in the half. Harvard's lead reached as many as 14 points on a Kenyatta Smith hook shot, 37-23, and the Crimson would take a 37-24 margin into the break.

Chambers scored Harvard's first five points to begin the second half, with his second bucket moving the score to 42-28. An and-one for Saunders maintained the 47-33 advantage, but an 11-1 spurt by Columbia cut it to a 48-44 game on Chris McComber's 3 with 14:33 to play.

Saunders got to the line to end Harvard's drought, and later assisted on a Moundou-Missi dunk and Miller 3-pointer as the Crimson regained a double-digit lead, 59-48. Miller went on to add two more triples and completed a three-point play, scoring 12 straight points to extend the Crimson's lead to 68-53.

The Lions did not give in, however, pulling to within 74-64 on Kyle Castlin's and-one with just 2:18 on the clock. Lo made it a nine-point game with a spot-up 3, 76-67, but Chambers came away with a big steal moments later and had the presence of mind to pull the ball back out, forcing Columbia to put Harvard at the free throw line to all but seal the game.

Game Notes: Harvard will host Yale next Friday, March 6 at 7 p.m. with first place in the Ivy League on the line … Harvard has won at least 20 games in each of the last six seasons, matching Penn (1969-75) for the longest streak of 20-win seasons in Ivy League history … Wesley Saunders scored 21 points to move into eighth place on Harvard's career scoring list (1,440) … Wesley Saunders has scored 20-plus points seven times this season, 19 times in his career, and has led Harvard in scoring 18 times this season, 46 times in his career … Steve Moundou-Missi registered his fourth double-double of the year, seventh of his career, with 17 points and 11 rebounds … Corbin Miller has made at least one 3-pointer in 25 of Harvard's 26 games this season … Harvard shot a season-high 58.7 percent (27-46) from the field.