Starting with Phillips' free throws, the Crimson embarked on an 11-2 streak, pulling to within just two points, 43-41, with 9:08 remaining.
Exciting, yes; conclusive, no.
Because the visitors quickly responded with three unanswered baskets, and the contest seemed destined to go the way of so many others in the past--a pseudo-comeback followed up by a disastrous relapse.
But last night was not just like any other night in the disappointing winter of '85-'86: outside, it was snowing, as it really should during a normal Cambridge February, and inside, the cagers were gearing up for an honest-to-goodness comeback.
The kind rarely seen this season.
The kind that ends in victory.
Harvard retaliated with a 10-4 spurt, capped by a nifty Kyle Dodson baseline shot to put the cagers on top for the first time since a short-lived 2-0 edge at the game's start.
And all along, the Crimson maintained its smothering defensive pressure, forcing repeated Green turnovers.
"It's been discouraging in the past when we work as hard as we do defensively and [the opponent] can sink shots from the perimeter," Roby said. "I think tonight was the best we've played on both ends of the floor in a long time; we kept up the defensive intensity and played error-free ball."
When Gielen--who had three steals on the night--swiped the ball from Dartmouth's John Bean and ran down the length of the court for an easy lay-up, the possibility of a win suddenly became a probability.
Freshman Jim Barton, the Green's leading scorer with 20 points on the night, sunk a shot from 16 feet to narrow Harvard's lead to one, 55-54, but the visitors never broke through the elusive 55-point barrier.
The Crimson racked up seven game-icing points, including the Mohler dunk and four points from guard Keith Webster--who finished with 14 on the evening. Harvard, 62-54 at Briggs Athletic Center
Dartmouth (54): Jim Barton 8-4--20; John Bean 1-0--2; Jason Lobo 0-0--0; John Mackay 2-2--6; Joe Kilroy 2-6--10; John Miller 1-0--2; Darin Maccoux 1-4--6; Gene Sims 0-0--0; John Rhine 1-0--2; Len Bazelak 2-2--6; Derek Bunting 0-0--0. Total 18-18--54.
HARVARD (62): Neil Phillips 5-8--18; Kyle Dodson 2-0--4; Bill Mohler 1-4--6; Mike Gielen 5-0--10; Tedd Evers 2-2--6; Pat Smith 0-0--0; Fred Schernecker 1-0--2; Keith Webster 5-4--14; David Lang 1-0--2. Total 22-18--62.
Fouled out: None. Total fouls: Harvard 17, Dartmouth 16. Rebounds: Harvard 36 (Phillips 9), Dartmouth 40 (Kilroy 10). Assists: Harvard 13 (Gielen 6), Dartmouth 11 (Kilroy 5). Dartmouth 31-22--54 Harvard 22-40--62
A:350