Harvard University

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Senior forward Chris Ledlum led four Crimson in double figures with team highs in points (15) and rebounds (eight), but Harvard University men's basketball fell to the University of Louisiana, 75-61, on Friday night in the semifinals of the Asheville Championship at Harrah's Cherokee Center.
 
The Crimson (1-1) used a 22-7 run to trim a 46-26 second-half deficit to five points at 53-48 with 7:51 to play, but the Ragin' Cajuns (2-0) held off the comeback effort. Harvard will play in the tournament's consolation game on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (ESPNU) against Elon.

Harvard Highlights

• Senior forward Chris Ledlum tallied 15 points and eight rebounds, leading the team in both categories for the second straight game. He made 6-of-10 shots from the floor and scored in double figures for the 24^th time in his career.
• Junior guard Sam Silverstein netted 14 points on 5-of-7 field goals, 2-of-3 3-pointers, and 2-of-2 free throws, while grabbing three rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench. He scored in double figures for the second time this year and fifth time in his career.
• First-year forward Chisom Okpara posted 11 points, scoring in double figures for the first time in his collegiate career. He connected on 4-of-5 field goals and 1-of-1 3-pointers, while adding three rebounds and two assists.
• Senior guard Luka Sakota notched 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting and 2-of-2 free throws. He scored in double figures for the second straight game and the 19^th time in his career.
• Sophomore guard Louis Lesmond scored seven points on 3-of-6 field goals, senior guard Idan Tretout handed out a team-best four assists, and junior forward Justice Ajogbor registered a team-high three blocks.
• In the second half, Harvard shot 62.5 percent from the field (15-of-24) and 40.0 percent (4-of-10) from 3-point distance.
• The Crimson led 25-11 in bench points with Silverstein (14) and Okpara (11) combining for the total.

 

How It Happened

• After Louisiana opened the game with a 16-8 lead at the 12:12 mark of the first half, the Crimson used an 11-2 run to pull ahead at 19-18 with 5:20 left in the stanza. A layup from Silverstein capped the run.
• With the score tied at 21-21, the Ragin' Cajuns used a 13-2 run to close the half in the final four minutes, taking a 34-23 lead into the locker room.
• Following a 12-3 stretch to start the second half that expanded the Louisiana margin to 46-26, the Crimson used a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to 46-35 with 11:54 remaining. Ledlum scored five points, including a 3-pointer during the streak.
• The Crimson closed the gap to 48-40 with 10:07 to go behind a 14-2 run with a layup from Okpara and 3-pointer from Silverstein encapsulating the spurt.
• Harvard pulled as close as five points down the stretch at 53-48 at the 7:51 mark with 3-pointers from Lesmond and Okpara helping to trim the margin. The Crimson outscored the Ragin' Cajuns 22-7 after trailing 46-26 earlier in the half.
• The Crimson remained within 58-51 with 5:23 to go, but after Louisiana moved ahead 63-51 with 3:47 left, Harvard could not get within single digits again.

Postgame Quotes

• "They really knocked us back early with their quickness and their speed. They are a tough team to play against. They are very disruptive. We went smaller and that gave us a chance to be better ball handlers with Chris Ledlum on the interior. That really gave us a shot there. We clawed our way back in." – Tommy Amaker, The Thomas G. Stemberg '71 Family Endowed Coach for Harvard Men's Basketball
• "We're happy to be here for this opportunity. There are a lot of things to learn from. I'm sure our kids are going to bounce back and play hard again in our next game." – Tommy Amaker, The Thomas G. Stemberg '71 Family Endowed Coach for Harvard Men's Basketball
• "Going into the game, the coaches told us to play smart and tough. During that good stretch, that's what we did. We handled the pressure, we took care of the ball, and finished possessions on defense. When we do all those things, shots start falling. I wish we could have done it for longer stretches of the game." – Junior guard Sam Silverstein.

Next Up

Harvard will face Elon on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2:00 p.m. (ESPNU) in the Asheville Championship consolation game.