Unless Coach Wes Fesler's hoopsters show a decided reversal of the form which they displayed in Wednesday night's disaster, Crimson basketball stock will tumble to a new low for the season over this weekend.
In two Eastern Intercollegiate League games, Harvard will meet Cornell tonight at Ithaca and Penn at Philadelphia tomorrow night. The Freshman outfit will also take to the road, meeting Governor Dummer tomorrow at South Byfield.
Captain Simpson and company scored a stunning upset over the Big Red team last week 30 to 28, but fell down miserably Wednesday as it took a 40 to 26 pasting on the chin from a taller and more aggressive Princeton quintet.
Harvard will be out to repeat its victory of last week tonight but will be faced with the superior height and high-scoring Ithacans with revenge in their eye. It will also be playing on a strange floor with a far from sympathetic crowd.
But if the Crimson forwards succeed in muzzling the activities of such Cornell deadeyes as Howie Dunbar, Jim Bennett, Bill Stewart, and Sam Hunter as they did before, the game may turn into another tight-scoring thriller.
At Philadelphia tomorrow night, the team will face Penn for the first time this year. Now in fourth place in the league standing with two wins and four losses the Quakers boast two consistent high scoring forwards in Levinson and Viguers.
After this affair, the courtmen will return to Cambridge to prepare for their fourth game within a week against Boston University here Wednesday night.
Crimson Needs These Victories
Upon the outcome of the two games this weekend depend the fortunes of the Crimson five. It must come through with victories in both encounters if it is to end up the season in the first division.
Lining up for Coach Fesler tonight will be Captain Simpson and Joe Romano at forward, Homer Peabody at center, and Bob James and Bud Finegan at guard. Also making the trip and destined to see plenty of action are Ed Buckley, Art Scully, Bill Webber, Ed Rothschild, and Bill McSweeney.