CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard University men's basketball hosts Columbia University in its Ivy League home opener on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+/NESN) in its first game at Lavietes Pavilion since Dec. 18 prior to hosting Dartmouth College on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 16 at 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+) as the Crimson begins a span of six home games in seven contests from Jan. 14 to Feb. 11.

What to Know

• Harvard trails Columbia in the all-time series, 88-98, but the Crimson has taken the last seven matchups in the series. That seven-game win streak includes three overtime contests. Last season, Harvard captured a 91-82 win on the road and a 62-54 victory at home.
• Under the leadership of Tommy Amaker, The Thomas G. Stemberg '71 Family Endowed Coach for Harvard Men's Basketball, Harvard has engaged with the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The Crimson has made multiple trips to play Howard in Washington, D.C., including over MLK weekend in 2016 and 2019, while also touring the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The team has also made two trips to Atlanta in recent seasons, playing at Mercer in 2018 and at Morehouse – Dr. King's alma mater – earlier this year. While in Atlanta, the Crimson has attended Sunday services at Ebenezer Baptist Church and visited The King Center, spending time at the tomb of Dr. King.
• In its first Ivy back-to-back of the season, Harvard gained a 70-68 (OT) win at Brown on Jan. 6 before dropping a narrow 58-54 decision at Yale on Jan. 7. Senior guard/forward Chris Ledlum averaged 18.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game for the weekend, posting 21 points, nine boards, and three assists against the Bears and tallying 15 points, 14 boards, and four assists against the Bulldogs.
• Harvard closed out a six-game road swing from Dec. 20 to Jan. 7 with a 3-3 record. The Crimson opened the stretch with a 62-57 win over UC Irvine (Dec. 20) before challenging No. 4/4 Kansas (Dec. 22) in a 68-54 setback in a trip that included approximately 5,647 flight miles. In its non-conference finale at Maine (Dec. 28), the Crimson took a 74-73 (OT) win before falling at Princeton (Dec. 31) in its Ivy League opener, 69-66, in a pair of trips that included approximately 1,020 bus miles. Harvard closed the stretch with a 70-60 (OT) win at Brown (Jan. 6) and narrow 58-54 setback at Yale (Jan. 7), tacking on approximately 290 bus miles.
• Senior guard/forward Chris Ledlum has averaged team highs in points (19.3), rebounds (9.0), and steals per game (1.7), scoring in double figures in 16 of 17 games, netting 20 or more points seven times, and posting five double-doubles, including three in his last four outings. He has scored in double figures in 10 straight games and grabbed eight or more rebounds in nine straight contests.
• Ledlum ranks second in the Ivy League in points per game, first in rebounds per game, and third in steals per game. He also stands second in total points (328), first in field goals (127), second in free throws (52), first in offensive rebounds per game (3.2), fourth in blocks per game (1.2), and fifth in minutes per game (32.5). In Ivy League play only, he stands second in points per game (19.3), first in rebounds per game (12.0, including first in offensive rebounds (5.0) and defensive rebounds per game (7.0)), fourth in blocks per game (1.3), and first in minutes per game (37.3).
• In the NCAA, Ledlum ranks 11^th in field goals (127), 22^nd in points (328), 33^rd in points per game (19.3), 26^th in rebounds (155), 37^th in rebounds per game (9.1), 39^th in offensive rebounds per game (3.18), and 47^th in double-doubles (five).
• Ledlum poured in a career-high 30 points with nine rebounds and a career-best five steals vs. Loyola Chicago (Nov. 25). Ledlum notched back-to-back 20-point double-doubles with a game-high 27 points and career-best 15 rebounds in the OT win at Maine (Dec. 28) prior to game highs in points (22) and rebounds (13) at Princeton (Dec. 31). In the Crimson's battle with UMass (Dec. 2), Ledlum posted a double-double on 25 points and 10 rebounds. He scored a game-high 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting at Northeastern (Nov. 16) and then had 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting vs. Siena (Nov. 20). At No. 4 Kansas (Dec. 22), he registered 17 points and nine boards. Ledlum went for 21 points and nine boards in the OT win at Brown (Jan. 6) and finished with a double-double on 15 points and 14 boards at Yale (Jan. 7).
• Junior guard Sam Silverstein has tallied 7.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 85.2 percent from the free throw line. He ranks fourth in the Ivy League in minutes per game (32.7), sixth in steals per game (1.4), and ninth in rebounds per game (5.5). In Ivy only play, he ranks fourth in the league in minutes per game (33.7) and fifth in steals per game (2.0). Silverstein scored a career-high 17 points with five rebounds and three assists at Fordham (Nov. 27) before grabbing a career-best 10 rebounds at Holy Cross (Nov. 30). He notched 13 points and five steals vs. Siena (Nov. 20). Over the Crimson's first week he posted 13 points and eight boards vs. Elon (Nov. 13), scored 14 points vs. Louisiana (Nov. 11), and netted 12 points with five rebounds at Morehouse (Nov. 7).
• First-year forward Chisom Okpara has averaged 8.5 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on the year, scoring in double figures six times. In Ivy only play, he ranks second in the conference in field goal percentage (68.8). He dropped a career-high 24 points on 10-of-13 field goals with eight rebounds vs. Siena (Nov. 20) before tallying 16 points and six rebounds vs. Tufts (Dec. 4). In his first Ivy game, he netted 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting with six boards at Princeton (Dec. 31). He notched 10 points and five boards at UC Irvine (Dec. 20), posted 11 points on 4-of-5 field goals vs. Louisiana (Nov. 11), and grabbed 10 rebounds at Northeastern (Nov. 16). Okpara has gained Ivy League Rookie of the Week three times (Nov. 14, Nov. 21, Dec. 26).
• Senior guard Luka Sakota has registered 7.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on the year. Sakota has scored in double figures seven times on the season. He hit a career-high six 3-pointers for a season-best 18 points vs. Tufts (Dec. 4). Sakota scored 14 points vs. Elon (Nov. 13), 13 points at Holy Cross (Nov. 30) and at Brown (Jan. 6), and 12 points at UC Irvine (Dec. 20).
• Senior guard Idan Tretout has compiled 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. In Ivy play, he has posted 11.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Tretout scored a career-high 17 points on 6-of-8 field goals in the OT win at Maine (Dec. 28). He tallied 15 points and five rebounds at Yale (Jan. 7). Tretout totaled 10 points and six rebounds at Fordham (Nov. 27) and notched 12 points vs. Elon (Nov. 13).
• Sophomore guard Evan Nelson exploded for 23 points, six assists, and three steals, while making 8-of-12 field goals, 4-of-6 triples, and 3-of-3 free throws vs. Elon (Nov. 13). For the year, he has averaged 6.5 points, a team-best 3.5 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game. Nelson has distributed five or more assists in each of five games this season. At No. 4 Kansas (Dec. 22), he tallied 10 points and a game-best four assists. Nelson distributed a career-high seven assists at Princeton (Dec. 31). He ranks fourth in the Ivy League in assists per game and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8).
• Junior forward Justice Ajogbor ranks second in the Ivy League with 1.5 blocks per game and has added 4.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. In Ivy play, he paces the conference with 2.3 blocks per game. Ajogbor tallied career highs in points (14), rebounds (six), and minutes (26) vs. UMass (Dec. 2). At No. 4 Kansas (Dec. 22), he blocked four shots and added eight points and four boards. He is the only student-athlete to start all 17 games for the Crimson this year and has tallied multiple blocks in each of nine games this year.
• As a team, Harvard ranks second in the Ivy League in blocks per game (4.06), while standing third in points per game allowed (64.3), opponent field goal percentage (.414), and steals per game (7.82). In Ivy play only the Crimson ranks second in points per game allowed (65.0), first in block per game (5.00), second in rebounding margin (+1.7), and third in steals per game (7.33). In the national rankings, Harvard sits 20^th in fewest fouls per game (14.1) and 58^th in points per game allowed (64.3).

Next Up

Harvard hosts Dartmouth on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 16 at 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+) prior to hosting Cornell on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+).