WORCESTER, Mass. – First-year guard
Robert Hinton scored a game-high 19 points and helped key a late run for the Crimson before Harvard Men's Basketball came up just short at Holy Cross, 68-67, on Wednesday night at the Hart Center.
Facing a 68-59 deficit with 3:11 to play, the Crimson (2-7) scored the game's final eight points, including a 3-point play from Hinton with 25.9 seconds left to allow Harvard to re-gain possession with a chance to take the lead before the host Crusaders (5-4) held on for the decision.
Hinton netted his 19 points on 8-of-15 field goals and 3-of-3 free throws to go with eight rebounds while senior guard
Evan Nelson tallied 14 points, a game-high five assists, and five rebounds. Junior guard
Chandler Piggé grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds, sophomore forward
Thomas Batties II posted nine points and eight boards, and senior guard
Louis Lesmond added nine points.
Harvard Highlights
- First-year guard Robert Hinton scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-15 field goals and 3-of-3 free throws alongside eight rebounds and two steals. He led the Crimson in scoring for the fifth time this season and finished in double figures for the sixth time.
- Senior guard Evan Nelson tallied 14 points, a game-high five assists, and five rebounds, while hitting 3-of-7 3-pointers. He scored in double figures for the fourth time this year and led the Crimson in assists for the second time.
- Sophomore forward Thomas Batties II posted nine points on 4-of-8 shooting with eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
- Junior guard Chandler Piggé grabbed a game and season-high 10 rebounds to go with six points and two assists. He notched double-figure boards for the second time in his career and led the Crimson in rebounding for the seventh time this season.
- Senior guard Louis Lesmond added nine points and two boards. He netted all nine of his points in the final 10 minutes of the game.
- Harvard held advantages in rebounds (39-30) and second-chance points (20-10).
Gallery: (12-4-2024) Men's Basketball at Holy Cross
How It Happened
- Harvard took a 13-7 lead at the 12:38 mark of the first half following a 3-pointer from first-year guard Tey Barbour, jumper from Batties II, and layup from Hinton.
- A pair of 3-pointers from Nelson kept the Crimson up 21-18 with 7:28 left in the first half before Holy Cross used an 11-0 run to move ahead 29-21 with 4:43 to go until the break.
- Harvard outscored the hosts 14-7 to close the half, pulling within 36-35 at the intermission. A 3-pointer from first-year guard Ben Eisendrath and old-fashioned 3-point play from Nelson helped key the run.
- After the Crusaders pulled ahead 46-37 with 10 straight points, a 3-pointer from Nelson, floater from Hinton, and layup from Batties II trimmed the margin to 48-44 with 13:59 to go.
- With the hosts leading 54-44 with 10:33 remaining, Harvard countered with a 13-5 run to pull within 59-57 with 6:33 left. Lesmond scored nine of the Crimson's points during the stretch, including a 3-pointer to cap the streak.
- After Holy Cross moved the margin back to nine points at 68-59 with 3:11 to play, Harvard scored the game's final eight points to pull within 68-67 with 25.9 seconds left.
- A 3-pointer from Batties II prior to a layup from Hinton started the run before Hinton converted a conventional 3-point play with 25.9 seconds to go to bring the Crimson within one. Harvard re-gained possession with a chance to take the lead before the Crusaders held on for the decision.
Next Up
Harvard plays at New Hampshire on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 1:00 p.m. (ESPN+).
