When the Harvard basketball team travelled to Columbia two weeks ago, second-place in the Ivy League was at stake for both teams and second-place is at stake again tonight's 8 p.m. contest in the IAB.

The Crimson, 7-3 in ivy play, edged the Lions. 73-71, when they played in New York, but it took a last-second shot by Dale Dover and some clutch baskets by Tom Mustoe and Brlan Newmark earlier in the game to keep Columbia from running away with the contest.

The Lions, though not studded with talent, are a disciplined ball club that is 8-2 in the League. Two weeks ago, it took advantage of Harvard's sloppy ball-handling and weak offensive play with a ball-hawking zone offensive play with a ball-hawking zone defense that forced 19 Crimson turnovers.

That zone, if coupled with improved Columbia ball-handling, will be an important factor in tonight's game. How-ever, if Haraverd plays offense against the Lions' zone the way it did against Promceton's in the second half last week. Columbia will have trouble staying in the game.

Two weeks ago, senior guard Elliott Wolfe was a major part of the success of the Columbia zone. He played the chaser on the point, and forced numerous turnovers. He also contributed 20 points on 8 of 13 from the floor.

Harvard head coach Bob Harrison plans to change his defensive strategy to stop Wolfe. Dover, who guarded the Lions' other leading scorer Larry Gordon two weeks ago,' will guard Walfe tonight to try to force Columbia out of its offensive patterns.

Senior Hal Calbom, who has alternated at forward with sophomore Marshall Sanders this winter, will start tonight to give the Crimson added outside shooting strength against the Lions' zone.

The Crimson will be playing without junior guard Matt Bozek, who quit the squad this week for personal reasons. Bozek averaged 17 point a game last season playing the point on Harvard's 1-2-2 offense, but this season he has been used as a reserve, and has averaged only seven points a game.

The Crimson's schedule for the remainder of the season includes three teams, besides Columbia. Harvard has defeated all four once this season. Columbia on the other hand, has four tough games-with Harvard. Dartmouth, Penn, and Princeton-awaiting it.

"Our schedule favors us," Harrison said yesterday, "but we've got to win the last four if we expect to finish second. If we lose one, Princeton is waiting in the wings and could finish in a tie with us."