CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Sophomore forward
Chisom Okpara tallied 15 points and eight rebounds, and first-year forward
Thomas Batties II posted a double-double on 11 points and 10 boards, but Harvard University men's basketball fell to Iona University, 69-60, on Saturday afternoon at Lavietes Pavilion in its final game of the 2023 calendar year.
Playing in the third contest of a four-game homestand to close non-league play, the Crimson (8-4) and Gaels (6-7) played within two possessions of one another for the first 36:06 of a game that included 13 ties and 11 lead changes. Harvard remained within 58-55 with 5:50 to play before the visitors used an 11-2 run to gain a 69-57 edge with 2:16 left.
Okpara scored in double figures for the 10
th time in 11 games played this season with his 15-point, eight-rebound effort. Batties II notched his second collegiate double-double with his 11 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard
Louis Lesmond joined the duo in double figures with 12 points, and junior guard
Denham Wojcik distributed a career and game-high six assists.
Harvard Highlights
- Sophomore forward Chisom Okpara tallied 15 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, while making 7-of-8 free throws. He scored in double figures for the 10th time this season and for the 19th time in his career.
- First-year forward Thomas Batties II posted his second double-double of his career behind 11 points and 10 rebounds, while blocking two shots. He finished in double figures for the third time this year. Batties II tied his career high with 10 boards.
- Junior guard Louis Lesmond netted 12 points on 4-of-8 field goals, 2-of-5 3-pointers, and 2-of-2 free throws. He scored in double figures for the sixth time this year and 13th time in his career.
- Junior guard Denham Wojick dished out a career and game-high six assists alongside five points, four rebounds, and two steals.
- Sophomore guard Chandler Piggé added seven points, junior guard Tyler Simon tacked on six points and three rebounds, and first-year forward Luca Ace-Nasteski grabbed seven boards.
- Harvard made 19-of-25 free throws (76.0 percent), shooting above 75 percent from the free throw line for the sixth time this season.
Gallery: (12-30-2023) Men's Basketball vs. Iona
How It Happened
- Neither side held a lead larger than four points in a first half that witnessed nine ties and five lead changes.
- Harvard took a 26-23 lead with 3:40 left in the first half behind an 8-3 spurt that included a dunk from Lesmond.
- The Crimson remained ahead 30-29 with 1:52 to go until the half before the Gaels took a 31-30 edge into the break.
- After Iona moved ahead 42-39, the Crimson netted eight consecutive points to gain a 47-42 lead with 11:28 to play. Four different Crimson scored during the run.
- Harvard and Iona remained tied at 52-52 with 8:54 to play following two free throws from Okpara prior to a 6-0 run from the Gaels that made it 58-52 with 6:05 remaining.
- A 3-pointer from Piggé cut the margin to 58-55 with 5:50 left before the visitors used an 11-2 run to stake themselves to a 69-57 edge with 2:16 left. Iona took the game's first lead larger than two possessions at 63-55 with 3:54 to go.
Postgame Quotes
- "It was the kind of game we thought it could be. They are very aggressive and play very hard and scrap and claw. I thought we needed to be tougher with the ball and be able to finish plays around the rim. Give credit to their team. Idan Tretout played really well. He made some timely baskets. I'm very pleased to see how things are going for him there." – Tommy Amaker, The Thomas G. Stemberg '71 Family Endowed Coach for Harvard Men's Basketball
- "Hopefully we can learn from this and keep our spirit right. We've had great chemistry, and we've been very confident. We got knocked back here today a little bit, and I'm hopeful that we will not have this linger." – Tommy Amaker
Next Up
Harvard hosts Albany on Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 7:00 p.m. (ESPN+) at Lavietes Pavilion in its non-conference finale before opening Ivy League play at Princeton on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 2:00 p.m. (ESPN+).
