PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Before last night, the Harvard men's basketball team enjoyed less than a one in 10 shot at forcing a playoff for the Ivy League title.

The Crimson now enjoys a none in 10 chance.

That's because the Brown men's basketball team connected on all eight of its free throw attempts in the final 1 18 to stymie a furious Harvard comeback attempt before 500 fans at Marvel Gym.

Brown hit 16 of 17 free throws in all en route to an 82-77 victory that realistically ended any Crimson hopes for a postseason tournament bid.

With that, the Bruins closed out their 1985 Ivy campaign at 5-9, while Harvard fell to 7-6 and into fifth place.

The loss mathematically eliminated the Crimson from the race for the Ivy crown many felt it finally would win this year.

What's more, the defeat meant the Crimson squad--which just a month ago sat atop the Ivy standings--will most likely not travel to a postseason tournament for the 40th straight year.

"I thought if we'd won our final two games." Harvard Coach Frank McLaughlin said of last night's contest and tomorrow's season finally at Yale. "that we might just get an NIT bid.

"I thought Boston College and we would be a natural [first-round game]," added the Crimson coach.

That was before Brown overcame a four-point halftime deficit by connecting on 60 percent of its second half shots from the floor and 93 percent of its second half free throw attempts.

It was also before Harvard displayed its now patented folding act in the first few minutes of the final period, during which it connected on just three of its first 12 field goals.

"Considering all that," McLaughin said, "it's probably amazing it was as close as it was."

Harvard, losers of four of its last five, lost this one despite five starters scoring in double figures for just the second time all year.

Ironically, the other time was a month ago, when Harvard best Brown by six.

But an inability to put the hosts away in the opening period last night left the Crimson helpless when the Bruins caught fire in the second half.