Harvard's winter athletes emerge from the libraries today and tomorrow for the last big sports week-end of the dying semester. A wide range of events will be offered for fans, who may want to join the teams in taking out reading period frustrations and tensions on invading squads.
Action in Cambridge begins tonight at 8 p.m. when Floyd Wilson's basketball five engages Columbia in the I.A.B. The game will be the second Ivy League match for both squads, and the Crimson rates a slight edge on the basis of its 45-40 victory over Dartmouth last week. Columbia failed in its first Ivy trial, falling before Cornell by an 80-70 score.
A nearly unanimous choice for last place, the Lions have compiled a 6-4 record against relatively weak competition. City College of New York, Lehigh, and Williams are among Columbia's victims.
Leading the Lion offensive is guard Neil Farber who has averaged a highly respectable 19.2 points per game. Lengthy (6-5) center Art Klink ranks second in team scoring with an average of 11.1 points.
Cornell May Pose Problem
On Saturday Wilson's boys face Cornell, and the results here may not be very satisfying to the home crowd. Cornell has not been spectacular this year, but they should be a first division club in the League.
Harvard, however, which appears to be pulling itself together, might be able to bother Cornell. Coach Wilson is on record as saying that if his team gets by Columbia, it should "give Cornell a good scrap."
Dennis Lynch currently tops the Crimson scoring chart with a rather mundane average of 9.6 points per game. He is followed by post man Vern Strand, 8.9, and sophomore Leo Scully, 8.25.
Sextet Faces Rough Weekend
The hockey varsity, apparently toughened by its Cornell victory but missing the services of All-American Dave Johnston, left town last night for what should be its toughest week-end of the regular season. Tonight the team engages Clarkson, and St. Lawrence will be waiting eagerly on Saturday.
Both games will be broadcast on WHRB, the Friday game at approximately 9:30 p.m. following the broadcast of the Columbia basketball game, and the Saturday contest at 8 p.m.
Coach Cooney Welland is understandably worried about the week-end. It is normally hard enough to beat either Clarkson or St. Lawrence on their home territory, and both in two days is a large assignment. The Crimson now seems safely headed for another Ivy League hockey title, but this week's games will probably establish general Eastern supremacy. Clarkson was the pre-season pick as the best in the East.
Harvard now has two scoring lines that Welland rates with any in the East, but so far the biggest asset of the team has been the defense, which has permitted but 21 goals. Without Johnston, who will listen to the games in Stillman while recuperating from mononucleosis, the quality of the defense my deteriorate.
Swimmers Will Meet Dartmouth
At 4 p.m. Saturday in the I.A.B. the swimmers will undoubtedly win their fourth meet of the year, which is against Dartmouth. Coach Bill Brooks will be going for his 14th straight win and after the Army and Navy trials, this one should be easy.
An hour earlier in the I.A.B., coach Bob Pickett's wrestlers exchange holds with Cornell. Normally, one would expect the Crimson to be slaughtered as Cornell has won six of the last seven Ivy titles. There is every indication that the quality of wrestling at Ithaca has not deteriorated.
Harvard, however, smashed M.I.T. in December and came within one point of upsetting always strong Franklin and Marshall. The Crimson also placed sixth in the Coast Guard Invitational, which is better than it has done in some time.
Pickett says his club is "improving," but isn't sure whether it is yet ready for someone like Cornell. Although Harvard may not win, the match should prove interesting.
Tracksters Exercise Against Brown
Abstaining from the AAU-sanctioned Knights of Columbus games in Boston Saturday, the winter track team has hastily scheduled a dual meet with Brown at 1 p.m. Saturday in Briggs Cage. Coach Bill McCurdy says he welcomes the opportunity for the exercise, but that is about all it should be for the powerful Crimson squad. The feature event is the mile where Brown's Dave Farley could give Crimson captain Ed Hamlin a good run.
Edo Marion's fencers enter Ivy competition today against the League's finest--Columbia. The Crimson has a 4-2 record, but Columbia has a good deal of class and should emerge victorious. The match begins at 2 p.m. in the I.A.B.
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