Harvard's basketball team blew a six-point lead in five minutes and lost to Northeastern last night in the final second of play, 67 to 65.

It was one of the most exciting and agonizing Crimson basketball game in years. Northeastern battled from a 61-55 deficit and tied the score at 65 all with forty seconds to play. Harvard patiently worked the ball around for half a minute. But with ten seconds to go, forward John Scott was called for travelling as he attempted a routine pass to Gene Dressler. As the Huskies called time out, Cabot gym reverberated with yells, the shrieks of cheerleaders, and the blaring of a Dixieland pep band.

Northeastern ate up six seconds, and then their hot shooting guard Rich Weitzman tried a 20-foot jump shot. It hit the rim and bounced high in the air. A dozen arms groped for the ball. The Huskies' nimble forward. Harry Barnes, won the battle for possession and tapped in the winning score as the buzzer sounded.

The defeat took the glint away from two superb individual performances for Harvard. Though he seldom was able to shake loose for a clear shot Keith Sedlacek's shooting was deadly; he had 23 points for the night. And center Barry Williams played fiercely aggressive basketball for 40 minutes, dominating rebounding and scoring 18 points.

Sedlacek scored nine points in the first quarter of play as Harvard amassed a 19-10 lead. But when Harvard's shuffle offense bogged down and Sedlacek couldn't get free to take any shots, the Crimson's lead shrunk. No one else on the team was shooting well from outside. Several long jump shots by Weitzman and superb playmaking by 5-7 Jim McNaught enabled Northeastern to tie the score at 29 all at halftime.

As the second half began. Northeastern quickly ran up a seven-point lead by picking holes in the Crimson's zone defense. Five times center Mike Wallent, playing at the high post, was able to score easy two pointers from inside. Northeastern led, 42 to 35, with 15 minutes to go.

And then, suddenly, the whole complexion of the game shifted. Harvard shifted into a zone press, which baffled the Huskies. As the Crimson guards capitalized on repeated ball-handling errors. Sadlacek pumped in nine points inside five minutes. Harbard tied the score at 49-49 and gradually forged ahead, 61-55, with 4:40 to play.

Then the roof fell in. Sirjohn Papegeorge (no kidding) scored on a tip-in. Seconds later the Huskies, using a full-court press, stole the ball, blew two shots, and scored on a jumper from the corner by Dave Laudati. The Huskies' press and a debatable out-of-bounds call by the referee quickly gave Northeastern possession again, and Barnes tied it up with a 15-foot jump shot. Less than three minutes of play remained.

Harvard's guards regained their composure and their usual steady ball handling, and sophomore second stringer Bob Beller put the Crimson in front with a jumper from the corner. Weitzman tied it with a 15-footer. Williams was fouled and calmly sank two free throws, but McNaught countered with a 25-foot swishing jump shot, as the clock showed 40 seconds. That set the stage for the last-minute drama.