Men's Basketball 12/20/2023 10:00:00 AM

Men's Basketball Returns to Lavietes on Thursday to Play Host to Holy Cross

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard University men's basketball plays host to Holy Cross on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. (ESPN+) at Lavietes Pavilion. The Crimson brings a 7-3 overall record into its second game of a four-game homestand.

What to Know

• Harvard has posted a 7-3 record to open the season – a mark that includes three road victories, an undefeated 4-0 mark at home, and wins over teams from the American Athletic Conference, Atlantic 10, Coastal Athletic Association, and Patriot League. The Crimson has notched a 7-1 record against teams outside the Power Five conferences.

• 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 20.1 points per game. Overall, he ranks 23rd in the NCAA in scoring and ranks as the only first-year in the top 50 in points per game. His 32-point effort at UMass (Nov. 17) stands as the top scoring output from a first-year in a game against another Division I institution this season in the nation.

• Mack has averaged 20.1 points and 4.4 assists per game, ranking first in the Ivy League in points per game, assists per game, 3-point percentage (.472)and free throws made (52), while ranking second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) and third free-throw percentage (82.5). He ranks 13th in the NCAA in 3-point percentage, 47th in free throws made, and 62nd in total points (201). He has scored in double figures in all 10 games this season, netted 20 or more points five times, notched 25 or more points three times, and eclipsed 30 points once.

• Mack gained Ivy League Rookie of the Week in each of the first four weeks of the season (Nov. 13, Nov. 20, Nov. 27, Dec. 4).

• Mack poured in a career-high 32 points on 10-of-23 field goals and 5-of-10 3-pointers at Massachusetts (Nov. 17) and scored 27 points on 8-of-16 field goals and 8-of-10 free throws against Indiana (Nov. 26) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mack went for 26 points on 8-of-10 field goals and 6-of-6 free throws vs. American (Nov. 29). He 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 and eight assists in Harvard's win at Rice (Nov. 10) and notched 18 points and six assists at Boston College (Nov. 18). He notched 17 points vs. Army (Dec. 8) added 16 points and eight assists at Colgate (Nov. 22).

• Sophomore forward Chisom Okpara has tallied 16.9 points and 5.6 rebounds per game on the year, scoring in double figures eight times and reaching the 20-point plateau three times. He ranks fifth in the Ivy League in points per game, fourth in blocks per game (1.0) and 11th in rebounding. He dropped a season-high 23 points vs. American (Nov. 29). Okpara poured in 21 points at Colgate (Nov. 22) and scored 20 points with seven rebounds at Boston College (Nov. 18). He tallied 19 points and nine boards at Loyola Chicago (Dec. 2) and posted 17 points against both Rice (Nov. 10) and Army (Dec. 8). Okpara added 14 points in the win over Northeastern (Nov. 14) and 13 points at Indiana (Nov. 26).

• Junior guard Louis Lesmond has averaged 9.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game on the year, while shooting 33.8 percent from 3-point distance. He ranks third in the Ivy League in 3-pointers made (25) and fifth in 3-pointers per game (2.5). Lesmond has made three or more 3-pointers in each of six games this year. He notched 14 points and made a season-high 4-of-7 3-pointers at UMass (Nov. 17). Lesmond netted 11 points at Colgate (Nov. 22) and vs. Army (Dec. 8) and 10 points at Indiana (Nov. 26) and vs. Northeastern (Nov. 14).

• Sophomore guard Chandler Piggé has posted 9.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, while shooting 87.5 percent on free throws. He has scored in double figures in each of four games. He ranks 10th in the Ivy League in rebounds per game. 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 14 points vs. Army (Dec. 8) and 12 points vs. Northeastern (Nov. 14).

• Senior forward Justice Ajogbor – who will miss an indefinite amount of time due to a right hand injury but will return later in the 2023-24 season – has registered 8.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game on the year. He ranks first in the Ivy League in blocks per game (2.86), having posted three or more blocks in each of five games this year. He stands fourth in the Ancient Eight in rebounds per game (7.6) and third in field goal percentage (53.8). He scored a career-high 15 points at Colgate (Nov. 22). 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).

• First-year forward Thomas Batties II has registered 6.3 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 47.3 percent from the field. Batties II notched his first collegiate double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Indiana (Nov. 26) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. 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).

• Junior guard Denham Wojcik has contributed in the Crimson's backcourt, playing in all 10 games and averaging 2.3 points and 2.2 assists points per game. He netted a career-high eight points at Colgate (Nov. 22). Wojcik dished out a game-high five assists vs. Northeastern (Nov. 14).

• First-year forward Luca Ace-Nasteski has compiled 2.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. He notched 11 points on 4-of-7 field goals with four rebounds in his collegiate debut vs. UMass Boston (Nov. 6).