The Harvard basketball team travels to New York City tonight for an 8 o'clock game against Columbia that will decide second-place in the Ivy League standings.

The Lions, though they haven't been impressive this season, have recovered from the graduation of their two All- Ivy performers, Jim McMillian and Heyward Dotson, to post an 11-5 over-all record and climb to 3-1 in the Ivies.

"We've approached each game with an attitude we'll do the best we can," Columbia head coach Jack Rohan said yesterday. "We don't really have the personnel to overpower anybody, but we've won some that people didn't expect we'd win," he explained.

One of those games came last weekend against Princeton, which the Lians upset 53-50, and before exams, they topped Brown, 79-74, in overtime. Columbia has played team offense, working the ball for the good shot, and team defense, forcing its opponents to take poor shots.

By most accounts, they've been successful. Columbia is averaging just under 50 per cent from the floor, while its opponents are only shooting 40 percent. Harvard, on the other hand, is shooting 45 percent from the floor, while its opponents are averaging 42 percent.

But in its last five games, all of which it has won, the Crimson has been playing team ball, too. "We hope to get our fast break working early," captain Dale Dover said yesterday. "If we go to the basket and hit the boards hard in the first few minutes, we can build up a lead with the fast break, and I don't think they'll be able to stay with us." he added.

Senior guard Larry Gordon leads the Lions' offensive attack with a 19-point average, and Dover will have to stop him. Underneath, 6' 7" Bob Gailus and 6' 6" Foley Jones hold down rebounding responsibilities for the Lions. The Crimson won't be at a height disadvantage, and should even be able to outrebound Columbia because of its superior ability.

If the Crimson defeats Columbia, and tops Cornell, 0-6, in League play, on Saturday night, it will have a shot at the Ivy League title when it faces Penn next Friday.