After suffering three straight season-opening road defeats by a combined total of seven points, the Harvard men's basketball team has rebounded to capture each of its first two home games of the 1986-'87 campaign--and has outscored those opponents by a combined 33 points.

Following up on Saturday's 17-point victory over the University of New Hampshire, the cagers routed Brandeis, 79-63, last night before 500 spectators at Briggs Athletic Center.

Despite a rather sloppy outing (24 turnovers), the Crimson took control of the game early and was never threatened by a less-talented Judges squad.

Eleven of Harvard's 22 first-half field goals were lay-ups, as the cagers' executed their run-and-gun offense better than they have all year.

Consecutive fast-break lay-ups by Neil Phillips and Mike Geilen--the latter coming off a perfectly timed, behind-the-back pass from Co-Captain Arne Duncan--gave the cagers an early 16-7 advantage. But that was only a preview of what Harvard (now 2-3 on the year) had to offer.

After Crimson guard Kevin Collins (11 points on five-for-six shooting) staged a personal seven-point Harvard run, junior forward Kyle Dodson ignited the sparse Monday night Briggs crowd by converting a mid-court steal into a slam dunk.

Dodson finished with eight points and six rebounds as Harvard, which shot 49 percent from the field, failed to reach the 80-point plateau for the first time this season.

The Judges (now 2-4) were not able to string together consecutive baskets until Rob Toomey (nine points) and Derek Oliver (15 points, six rebounds) converted back-to-back hoops with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.

Phillips, who registered a rimcollapsing slam dunk of his own, led a balanced Harvard attack--10 different cagers scored--with 14 points on six-for-11 shooting.

Still trying to regain last year's co-MVP form after missing more than a month of practice, Phillips also made four steals, grabbed three rebounds, and handed out two assists in his longest stint of the young season.

Despite his team's 16-point victory, Harvard Coach Pete Roby was not excited with his squad's play.

"We were just flat," the second-year mentor said. "It was a lack of execution and mental toughness. We've had some emotional games, and we're only human. We have to be a little tired."

The Crimson, which led by as many as 29 points midway through the second half, was outscored, 18-4, at one point down the stretch, although most of the cagers' starters sat out during that period.

"We played a sloppy second half," Roby said. "We just didn't concentrate. It's a credit to Brandeis that they didn't quit when we went so far ahead."

Steady Co-Captain Keith Webster, who scored 10 points and handed out six assists, hit two more three-point baskets last night and is now 15-for-34 from three-point range on the season.

THE NOTEBOOK: Brandeis' Oliver was averaging 16.8 points per game going into last night's meeting...After missing his first three shots of the evening, Fred Schernecker connected on his next two and finished with six points...Duncan dished out seven assists last night to take the team lead in that category with 26 on the year. As a team, Harvard handed out 21 assists last night, the Judges only four...The cagers, who also came up with 15 steals, return to action Wednesday, when they travel to the University of Vermont to take on the Cantamounts.

Crimson, 79-63 at Briggs Athletic Center

BRANDEIS (63): Troy Glover 4-5--13; David Mc Donald 1-0--2; Derek Oliver 5-5--15; David Power 1-1--3; Jamie Bourque 2-0--4; Roger Finderson 3-0--6; Brian McKay 1-0--7; Bob Toomey 3-2--9; Chris Byner 1-0--2; Stephen Hamelberg 1-0--2; Matt Mazzoferro 0-0--0; Marc Rodney 0-0--0. Totals: 22-57 18-27 63

HARVARD (79): Arne Duncan 3-2--8; Kyle Dodson 4-0--8; David Lang 2-1--5; Keith Webster 4-0--10; Kevin Collins 5-1--11; Mike Geilen 4-0--8; Neil Phillips 6-2--14; Tedd Evers 2-0--5; Bill Mohler 2-0--4; Fred Schernecker 2-2--6; Brian Mackey 0-0--0; Scott Gilly 0-0--0.

Totals: 34-69 8-13 79

Three-point baskets: Toomey, 1; Webster, 2; Evers, 1. Fouled out: None. Assists: Harvard 21 (Duncan, 7), Brandeis 4 (Power, 3). Turnovers: Harvard 24, Brandeis 22. Rebounds: Harvard 42 (Mohler, 7), Brandeis 35 (Glover, 8). Brandeis  25-38--63 Harvard  48-29--79