ARLINGTON, Va.-It's no secret anymore. The word is out, and it has traveled as far south as down-home Virginia.

Harvard--and particularly a Calvin Dixon, less Harvard--can't handle a press. The Crimson is just too slow, too predictable on offense, and right not, just a little but too desperate.

American University came out smoking last night at Fort Myers in Arlington, jumping out to an early 20-4 lead and then hightailing if home to an 84-66 win.

The loss was the Crimson's third in a row coming after two Ivy League road defeats over the weekend. The return of Dixon in Saturday's regionally televised game against Princeton at the IAB should give the squad a needed lift as it heads into the meat of the League schedule.

American maintained constant pressure on the ball as it built up its formidable early lead. Eagle defenders uncannily anticipated Crimson passes, double and triple teaming the Crimson ball handler and forcing seven steals in the first 20 minutes, which ended with a 41-30 A.U. advantage.

Recognizing the potency of American's pressing defense, Crimson coach Frank McLaughlin pulled forward Joe Carrabino from the starting lineup, inserting freshman guard Kevin Boyle--who has performed well in Dixon's absence--in Carrabino's place.

The move, designed to give the Crimson a little extra ball control, didn't last long. Carrabino entered the game just 46 seconds after the opening tipoff.

The Eagles preserved that 11-point half time lead throughout the second stanza and increased it in a running free-for-all in the last six minutes. Their quickness and anticipation created opportunities at both ends of the floor and gave the Eagles (14-5) their ninth win in a row, and their 11th out of their last 12.

"Their guards did a tremendous job of penetrating and then passing off, "McLaughlin said, referring to the easy jumpers from the comers which back court starters mark Nickens and Gary Austin regularly converted into two points," "It really came down to their quickness."

The Eagles easily penetrated the combination of zone defenses which the Crimson offered, hitting from the perimeter when they couldn't get the ball inside to forward Ed Sloane American shot a blazing 63 percent from the floor (17 for 25). Sloane, Nickens and Austin all reached double figures in the first half, while Austin and Sloane led all scorers with 23 each overall.

Captain Donald Flemming paced Harvard scorers with 20 points completing 10 straight free throws.

McLaughlin was relatively unconcerned by the loss, explaining. "Remember, we could have come in here and gotten blown out by 40 points,"