CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard is set to play host to its Cambridge neighbors, MIT, on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off at Lavietes Pavilion is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET with the game airing on ESPN+.
What to Know
- Harvard is back in the friendly confines of Lavietes Pavilion after playing its last two games on the road -- at Iona and UAlbany. The last time Harvard was at home, it defeated Morehouse, 86-70, behind 20-point efforts from
Noah Kirkwood (23) and
Chris Ledlum (20).
- Harvard is back on campus after having played two games in five days in the state of New York. After falling in crushing fashion at Iona, the unanimous preseason pick to win the MAAC, last Saturday (ot-L, 90-87), the Crimson earned a hard-fought 60-53 victory at UAlbany on Wednesday.
- The Crimson, which led by double figures in the first half, was unable to shake off the Great Danes and found itself deadlocked at 44 with 2:45 left in regulation. Denham Wojcik, who had not attempted a shot at that point, buried a corner three to push Harvard ahead for good. The first-year added two assists, tying for the team lead with Kale Catchings, Noah Kirkwood and Luka Sakota.
- Kirkwood led the way for the Crimson, scoring a team-best 16 points against the Great Danes. Half of his point total came in the final moments as he went a career-best 8-for-8 from the free-throw line.
- Sakota may have put together the best game of his career after he put up 13 points, six rebounds and two assists in 36 minutes at UAlbany. His point, rebound and minutes played totals were all personal bests.
- Harvard's bench was solid, despite its inexperience, at UAlbany. The trio of Spencer Freedman, Samuel Silverstein and Denham Wojcik entered the contest with 22 career games played between them. Their combined line on Wednesday: 12 pts. (5-7 FG, 2-4 3FG), 6 rebs., 3 asts., 1 blk. 1 stl., 1 TO, 55 mins.
- Through three games, Kirkwood and Chris Ledlum have been impressive as Harvard returns to play for the first time since March 2020. One of the two has led the team in scoring and rebounding in each game to date (Scoring: Kirkwood - 2, Ledlum - 1; Rebounding: Ledlum - 2, Kirkwood - 1). As an aside, Kirkwood has also posted the Crimson's top assist mark twice.
- The Harvard-MIT series dates to 1900-01 and since Tommy Amaker arrived on campus, the Crimson is 10-0 against the Engineers.
- Harvard leads the all-time series with MIT, 54-10, and has won 16 consecutive meetings.
- The last time Harvard and MIT shared the floor (2019-20), the Crimson emerged with an 84-27 season-opening win. Chris Ledlum led the way in his Harvard debut with 13 points and 11 rebounds. The Crimson's 57-point margin of victory matched the program record, which was originally set in Feb. 1946.
- Harvard has been particularly good at home, posting a 12-1 record over the last two seasons ('19-20, '21-22). The Crimson has won eight straight non-league home games and has not suffered a home loss to a non-conference foe since Nov. 9, 2018.
- With the Crimson's success at home, it has an opportunity to close the calendar year on a high note as seven of its next nine games are scheduled for Lavietes Pavilion. Outside of a Monday date at Siena, a team it defeated in '19-20, and a Dec. 4 contest at Massachusetts, a side it has beaten three straight times, Harvard will be playing in familiar surroundings.
- Dating back to '19-20, Harvard has won nine of its last 11 (9-2) and is 10-3 in its last 13 outings.
At the Helm
Tommy Amaker, The Thomas G. Stemberg '71 Family Endowed Coach for Harvard Men's Basketball, is in his 15th season at Harvard. He is the winningest coach in Crimson history with 253 victories and has led the program to seven Ivy League titles and eight postseason appearances.
Up Next
Harvard travels to play Siena on Monday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN3).
