Harvard's racquetmen have never lost to Amherst, but Crimson Coach Jack Barnaby won't make any predictions about tomorrow's match at Hemenway.

"Amherst will be tough," Barnaby said yesterday. "They play a tight game, and avoid mistakes."

One reason for Barnaby's uneasiness is the loss of Harvard captain Craig Stapleton, number four player. Stapleton is in Denver, Colorado, for Rhodes Scholarship exams.

To fill this breach in his team's ranks, Barnaby has called on junior John Whit-beck to play number nine and moving five men up a slot. Barnaby also looks to his bottom three--John Harwood, Yoshiharu Akabane, and Michel Scheinmann--for improved performances.

"I'm hoping Harwood has finally come of age," Barnaby said. "My bottom three have all been gaining in maturity rapidly. If they lose their early jitters, we're going to be one heck of a good team."

The Harvard basketball team travels to Amherst tonight to play a short, inexperienced Lord Jeff squad.

At any time, Harvard would be heavily favored, but the Crimson may be down psychologically following Tuesday's loss to Boston College.

Sophomore Wally Bazenas is the leading scorer. He delivered 46 points in the Lord Jeff's first two games, but choked his last time out and was held to three. Senior center Bob Krause and Captain John Lehrman are averaging 14 and 11.3 points a game, respectively.

Amherst and Harvard have played one common opponent, Brandeis. The Crimson smothered the Judges 85-60, while Amherst managed only a last-gasp two-point victory. Barring a letdown, and if Harvard Captain Gene Dressler shows no ill effects from the dislocated finger he suffered in the final seconds of the B.C. game, Harvard will win.