The University basketball team will leave Boston at 8 o'clock tonight for its western trip. The team will meet Cornell tomorrow night at Ithaca, and the Washington Continental A. A. on Saturday evening.

Both games will probably be harder than any of the previous ones this year. The absence of Story, Linehan, and Randall, who will be unable to accompany the team on account of examinations, will be a serious handicap. With Gilles at right forward, however, the team should be somewhat steadied in spite of the fact that he has played only two nights. K. Smith at centre is the weakest player at present, partly on account of his changing from forward to centre. Bigelow, substitute for Story at left forward, is not up to his usual standard. Most of the work will probably come on the guards. Hanavan and Fosdick. Their work, fortunately is fast for this time of season, and with good support should break-up the defense of the opposing forwards. By far the most serious fault of the team at present is the inability to throw goals when good opportunities offer.

Cornell is this year stronger than ever before, having developed an effective blocking game and consistent team work, and the fact that the game will be played on their home floor is to their advantage. However, by fast, hard playing, Harvard should be able to keep Cornell's score down. This game will be the second one played by Harvard in the Intercollegiate League.

The game on Saturday night will be very valuable for practice, inasmuch as this team is one of the strongest in New York state.

The following men will be taken on the trip: W. L. Hanavan '03, C. Fosdick '04, K. Smith '05, J. W. Gilles 1L., H. B. Bigelow '04, J. F. Henderson '05, and R. A. Wood '03.

The chief faults of the basketball team throughout the season have been the lack of form in passing and catching the ball, and the inability successfully to shoot goals. The team work, however, is fairly good and seems to improve under the coaching of J. W. Gilles 1L., who has had charge of the candidates from the beginning of the season. Of those retained from one hundred and twenty-five men who responded to the call for candidates, the majority are of some experience. The most creditable feature in the work of the candidates this year, is their fighting spirit. This determination for playing a hard game has thus far helped the team out of tight places when efficiency in form has failed. The same spirit, however, seems to be a feature in the work of Columbia and Yale this year. Up to the present time Columbia has made the best showing, having defeated all opponents by large margins. The prospects of the Harvard team are at present hard to determine, owing to the unsettled line-up. The game with Cornell should show the strength of the team and its chances of winning the championship.