NEW YORK CITY, Feb. 10-A fantastic last-second 40-ft. jump shot by Columbia's Fred Portnoy sank a fighting Crimson basketball team 70-68 at University Hall Gymnaslum here tonight. The Lion star's 32nd and 33rd points ended the most exciting game of the year as the Crimson suffered its fifth Ivy League less in six starts.

With 30 seconds left to play, the hustling Portnoy evened the game with a 35 ft. jumper, Harvard waited for one shot, which was taken by Gary Borchard with ten seconds remaining. The ubiquitous Porno blocked it, and Columbia gained possession when the loose ball went out of Crimson hands at mid-court with two seconds left.

Guard Marty Erdhein flipped the ball to Portnoy, who out in from the left corner and threw up a twisting jump shot as the busser sounded. The ball hit the back board, dropped through, and Columbia was the winner.

Tralling by four points, 33-34 at half time, the Crimson finally drew even with 15:25 left on a jump shot by Joe Deering. Portnoy's foul shot again gave Columbia the edge, and for the next five minutes, the lead see-sawed back and forth.

Working well off their driving pattern, the Crimson scored constantly, only to see Portnoy and Jim Cleven keep Columbia in the game with deadly jump shots. With eight minutes left, a three point play by Bob Bowditch gave Harvard a 60-56 margin, their biggest of the evening until that point.

Two jump shots by Borchard were nullified by Portnoy's six straight points, the last making the score 65-62 with four minutes remaining.

Borchard and Cleven traded jumpers and Harvard kept its three point edge at 67-64.

Deering Fouled

Bowditch then blocked a drive by the Lions' Ed Ausenbergs, and in the ensuing fast break, Deering was fouled by Erdhein. He made one of the two shots to give the Crimson a four point lead, but they were not to score again.

Tonight the Crimson travels to Ithaca to play Cornell, which is currently in second place with a 4-2 record.