CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard University men's basketball closes a Bay State back-to-back weekend at Boston College on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 5:00 p.m. (ESPN+/ACCNX) with the Crimson holding a 4-0 record for the first time since the 2013-14 season following a 78-75 (OT) win at Massachusetts on Friday night.

What to Know

• First-year guard Malik Mack scored a career-high 32 points, sophomore guard Chandler Piggé posted his first collegiate double-double on 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Harvard rallied past Massachusetts in overtime, 78-75, on Friday night at the Mullins Center. Facing a 37-28 deficit at halftime, the Crimson came back to force six ties inside of the final 5:56 of regulation, sending the game to overtime knotted at 70-70 before scoring six of the first seven points of the bonus session to defeat the hosts. Harvard improved to 27-5 in overtime games under Tommy Amaker.
• Harvard has opened its season 4-0 for the first time since 2013-14. Following a 78-50 victory over UMass Boston (Nov. 6) in its season opener, Harvard traveled down to Houston to beat Rice (Nov. 10), 89-76. Returning home, the Crimson bested Northeastern, 80-56, opening a week with three games against Bay State rivals. Harvard followed that with a 78-75 (OT) win at Massachusetts (Nov. 17).
• Harvard faces off with a trio of Bay State rivals this week. The Crimson opened the stretch with an 80-56 victory over Northeastern (Nov. 14), followed that with its 78-75 (OT) win at UMass, and is set to meet Boston College (Nov. 18) to close the weekend. Overall, three of Harvard's first four games of the season feature opponents from the state of Massachusetts, including the team's opener against UMass Boston (Nov. 6).
• First-year guard Malik Mack has established himself as one of the nation's top first-year student-athletes. He stands as the nation's leading scorer among first-years at 21.8 points per game. Overall, he ranks 24^th in the NCAA in scoring and ranks as the only first-year in the top 30 in points per game. His 32-point effort at UMass (Nov. 17) stands as the top scoring output from a first-year in a single game this season.
• Senior forward Justice Ajogbor stands as one of the nation's top shot blockers, ranking fourth in the NCAA in total blocks (12) and seventh in blocks per game (3.0).
• The Crimson trails Boston College in the all-time series, 16-34. Harvard won six straight meetings from 2008-09 to 2013-14. After BC took the matchups in 2014-15 and 2015-16, Harvard captured the last meeting between the two teams, 74-66, in 2016-17. Harvard has posted a 7-2 record against the Eagles under Tommy Amaker.
• First-year guard Malik Mack has averaged 21.8 points, 4.8 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game, ranking first in the Ivy League in points per game, assists per game, 3-pointers per game (3.0), field goals (30), and total points (87). He ranks 24^th in the NCAA in points per game, 16^th in total points, and 20^th in field goals. He has scored in double figures in all four games this season, netted 20 or more points three times, and eclipsed 30 points once. He poured in a career-high 32 points on 10-of-23 field goals and 5-of-10 3-pointers at Massachusetts (Nov. 17). Mack dropped 22 points on 9-of-11 field goals and 4-of-5 3-pointers in the win over Northeastern (Nov. 14). He tallied 20 points, eight assists, three rebounds, and three steals in Harvard's win at Rice (Nov. 10) after posting 13 points and five boards vs. UMass Boston (Nov. 6). Mack won Ivy League Rookie of the Week on Nov. 13 after posting 16.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.0 rebounds and helping the Crimson go 2-0 in its opening week.
• Sophomore guard Chandler Piggé has posted 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, scoring in double figures in each of the last three games. He ranks 11^th in the Ivy League in points per game and seventh in rebounds per game. He has connected on 14-of-14 free throw attempts this season, ranking first in the NCAA in free throw percentage. Piggé posted his first collegiate double-double on 15 points and 11 rebounds at Massachusetts (Nov. 17). He dropped a career-high 23 points on 8-of-12 field goals and 6-of-6 free throws with five rebounds in Harvard's win at Rice (Nov. 10). He notched 12 points and five rebounds in the win over Northeastern (Nov. 14). Piggé played in 18 games as a first-year.
• Sophomore forward Chisom Okpara has tallied 13.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game on the year. He ranks 12^th in the Ivy League in points per game, ninth in rebounds per game, and fourth in blocks per game (1.3). He posted 17 points and seven rebounds in his season debut in the win at Rice (Nov. 10) before scoring 14 points in the win over Northeastern (Nov. 14). Last season, he averaged 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, scoring in double figures nine times. Okpara gained Ivy League Rookie of the Week four times (Nov. 14, Nov. 21, Dec. 26, Feb. 20) as a first-year last season.
• Senior forward Justice Ajogbor has registered 7.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game on the year. He ranks first in the Ivy League and seventh in the NCAA in blocks per game (3.0) and fourth in the NCAA in total blocks (12). He stands third in the Ivy League in rebounds per game (8.8) and seventh in field goal percentage (60.0). Ajogbor notched 12 points on 6-of-6 shooting with six rebounds at Rice (Nov. 10) before grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds vs. Northeastern (Nov. 14). He posted his first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against UMass Boston (Nov. 6). Last season, he ranked third in the Ivy League with 1.4 blocks per game and added 6.1 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 54.9 percent from the field.
• Junior guard Louis Lesmond has averaged 10.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game on the year, while shooting 46.2 percent from 3-point distance. He ranks first in the Ivy League in 3-pointers made per game (3.0) and fifth in 3-point percentage (46.2). He notched 14 points and made a season-high 4-of-7 3-pointers at UMass (Nov. 17). Lesmond netted 10 points vs. Northeastern (Nov. 14). He connected on three 3-pointers in back-to-back games vs. UMass Boston (Nov. 6) and at Rice (Nov. 10). Lesmond averaged 7.9 points per game during the 2021-22 season before missing most of the 2022-23 season due to injury.
• First-year forward Thomas Batties II has registered 8.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 58.3 percent from the field. In his collegiate debut, he scored a team-high 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting with five rebounds in the win vs. UMass Boston (Nov. 6).
• First-year forward Luca Ace-Nasteski has compiled 3.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 54.5 percent from the field. He notched 11 points on 4-of-7 field goals with four rebounds in his collegiate debut vs. UMass Boston (Nov. 6).
• Junior guard Denham Wojcik has contributed in the Crimson's backcourt, playing in all four games and averaging 2.8 assists and 2.0 points per game. He appeared in 41 games over his first two seasons.
• As a team, Harvard ranks 10^th in the NCAA in blocks per game (7.0), 40^th in field goal percentage defense (36.2), and 43^rd in 3-point percentage (38.9).
• In the Ivy rankings, the Crimson stands first in blocks per game (7.0) and second in points per game (81.3), points per game allowed (64.3), field goal percentage (49.4), and field goal percentage defense (36.2).

Next Up

Harvard plays at Colgate on Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+) before playing at Indiana on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 4:30 p.m. (BTN) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.