The Harvard men's basketball team took two and a half weeks off for exams, and as a result, moved into first place in the Ivy League standings.

While the Crimson eagers were knowking off midyear blue books, the Ancient Eight's other squads were knocking of each other.

When the Crimson began its midseason hiatus Jan. 14, it sported a 3-1 mark and a third place position in the league standing. Harvard's still 3-1, but thanks to losses last weekend by previously unbeaten Columbia and Brewty the Crimson's now in sole possession of first place.

One half game back are Yale and Brown, both 2-1. The Bruins knocked off the Elis last Saturday in Providence, R L., as sophomore Kieron Bigby scored a career-high 23-points to pace the hosts.

Interestingly enough, Bigby returned two interceptions for touchdowns in Brown's victory over Yale in last fall's football season.

Meanwhile, Columbia lost a shot at first place when Cornell took a 56-51 victory from the Lions Saturday. The Big Red's win, which came just one week after a loss at the hands of the very same Lion squad, marked Cornell's test victory in New York City in 12 years.

That turn of events caused a logjam in the fight for fourth place, where four teams (Penn, Princeton, Cornell and Columbia) are currently tied at 1-1.

Then, of course, there's 1-5 Dartmouth, which is making an early--albeit strong--run at last place.

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Harvard (10-1 overall) returns from its midseason layout tomorrow night, when it'll begin its longest and toughest road trip of the year.

Three non conference games in five days are in store for the Crimson, which will then turn its attention entirely to Ivy showdowns.

The road swing begins in Pennsylvania, where Harvard has a date tomorrow night with Lehigh and one Saturday with Lafayette.

Harvard toppled Lehigh, 87-80, in last year's inaugurat meeting between the two squads and will enter this year game as a very slight favorite.

Saturday's shindig with Lafayette will be the first meeting in history between the two clubs, and will pit Crimson Coach Frank McLaughlin against legendary Lafayette mentor Butch van Breda Kolff.

While one victory would be nice, and two would be pleasant, three out of three would be a miracle.