NEW YORK, Nov. 20--The end finally came for Harvard's brilliant cross country team here today in the woody hills of Van Cortlandt Park. Intimidated by much-heralded Villanova and psychologically spent after an undefeated season, the Crimson had to scramble for a disappointing seventh-place finish in the IC4A championships.

Led by Tom Donnelly, Dave Patrick, and Charlie Messenger, Villanova ran off with its third title in the last four years, smashing second place Georgetown 47-144. Harvard finished behind Navy, Notre Dame, N.Y.U., Michigan State with 287 points, ahead of 28 other schools.

Jim Baker, the spare English captain, rebounded from sub par performances in the Big Three and Heptagonal meets--both won by Harvard--to take a strong twelfth place. Running his best time of the year at Van Cortlandt, Baker still trailed the winner, sophomore Art Dulong of Holy Cross, by 1:16.

Crimson Heptagonal champion Doug Hardin got caught in the 200-man pack and never fought his way clear, settling for 17th place.

Harvard fell victim to an old cross country malady this afternoon. Although Baker and Hardin turned in respectable performances, Coach Bill McCurdy's forces lacked their usual depth. Instead of the tight bunch of earlier races, Harvard's third, fourth and fifth men straggled in out of the money.

Howe Falls Back

Dick Howe recovered from a cold night, sprinted out with the leaders, but fell back to 71st place. As with everyone but Baker. Howe's time was off his Hep's mark. Tim "Spider" McLoone dragged himself in 80th and Kentuckian John Heyburn crossed the line 107th, consigning Harvard to its lowly finish.

Sixth and seventh men Frank Sulloway and Peter Dennehy finished 138 and 142 respectively.

After the race, McCurdy expressed doubt that the whole team would travel to the U.S. Track and Field Federation Meet in Colorado on Thanksgiving Day. Baker and Hardin may go, McCurdy said, but previous plans to send seven men will probably be dropped.

Holy Cross's Dulong, one of the Easts top freshman milers last year, broke Villanovan Messenger's year-old meet record by 16 seconds. Despite the bitter cold and strong winds, Dulong came within two seconds of smashing Van Cortlandt's hallowed 24 minutes barrier.

The freshmen didn't do much better. Undefeated ace Dave Pottetti ran a strong first mile but faded badly over the last two, finishing a very surprising 42nd. Max Shweizer, John Enscoe and Howie Foye all finished near Pottetti as Harvard piled up 244 points, good for seventh place. Georgetown won the title.