Banking on some much-needed help from 6-3 jumping-jack Ernie Hardy, Harvard basketball coach Floyd Wilson leads his hapless forces on a weekend excursion to Cornell and Columbia.

The temperamental Hardy, a defensive standout on last year's freshman team until he quit halfway through the season, has been scholastically ineligible this winter.

Blessed with great timing. Hardy amazed the Society of Masochists with several stuffs every game last year. His offensive mobility and shooting ability was limited, but he may provide some necessary rebounding depth.

Harvard played both Columbia and Cornell at the IAB last weekend and as might he expected, lost both games. The Cornell game was a four point affair, but the Columbia encounter degenerated in to a rout early in the second half.

With Barth Royer through for the season with mononucleosis. Harvard has been hurting in the scoring department. In the Columbia game center Chris Gallagher managed only four points, and the effect on the Crimson offense was disastrous.

Line Drive Jumper

Captain Bobby Beller has taken up some of Royer's slack. Shootin better then he has since freshman year. Beller has started hitting his line drive jumper with greater frequency. Jeff Grate's in sertion in the starting lineup gives the Crimson a little more strength defensively, but he isn't scoring enough yet.

Cornell beat Harvard off the back-boards last Friday with two 6-5 musclemen controlling the game. Unless Hardy makes a major contribution, tonight's game will probably be a repetition.

As for Columbia, well the Lions are ranked seventh in the nation, closing in on the March 2 confrontation with Princeton. They may not be at their competitive peak for tomorrow night's game, but they should win in a walk, especially playing in the cozy confines of their pint-sized gym.