CAMBRIDGE, Mass – Harvard men's basketball returned to Lavietes Pavilion for the first time in nine days and earned a 62-54 victory over Columbia on Friday night. The decision stopped a three-game losing skid for the Crimson as it moved to 12-10 overall and 4-6 in the Ivy League.

Noah Kirkwood led all players with 22 points, with Luka Sakota and Evan Nelson chipping in 13 and 10 points, respectively. Mason Forbes, meanwhile, grabbed a game-high nine rebounds.

The Lions (4-19; 1-10 Ivy) got off to the start it wanted on the road, jumping out to a quick five-point lead before the first media timeout and later a 16-14 advantage as the game clock dipped under 12 minutes. The Crimson, however, got treys from Noah Kirkwood and Luka Sakota en route to eight unanswered points, which was part of a larger 15-2 run that pushed the Crimson to a 29-18 lead. Harvard eventually went into the locker room ahead, 35-26.

When play resumed, the Crimson was locked in defensively, holding the Lions scoreless for the first 4:25 of the second half. That effort helped Harvard maintain its double-digit lead, one it held for most of the period. Harvard got out to its biggest lead, a 51-36 advantage with 9:28 remaining, following a 7-0 run that consisted of an Evan Nelson three in between two baskets from Kirkwood. The Lions cut their deficit to seven points with 2:37 left, but Harvard would not allow the visitors to complete their comeback, with Kale Catchings and Sakota both knocking down a pair of free throws in the final couple of minutes before a Mason Forbes slam with 13 seconds remaining capped off the victory for the Crimson.

Harvard Highlights

• Noah Kirkwood posted his seventh 20-point effort of the season and his 21st double-digit scoring performance of 2021-22, netting 22 points with three rebounds.
• Luka Sakota reached double figures in scoring for the 14th time this season and for the second straight outing, collecting 13 points while grabbing six boards.
• Evan Nelson posted his second straight double-figure scoring performance after going for a career-high 19 in his last game at Penn, adding 10 points against the Lions.

Game Notes

• The Crimson claimed the season series with Columbia and has won seven straight vs. the Lions.
• Harvard stopped its losing streak at three games and has not dropped four consecutive outings since the 2015-16 season.
• The Crimson registered a season-high 17 steals as a team, after tallying just 18 in its previous three games.

What's Next?
Harvard returns to the hardwood on Saturday when Cornell visits Lavietes Pavilion. The game is set for a 7 p.m. ET start and will air on ESPN+.