"They used all the tricks," Moran said. "There wasn't one steal technique that they didn't try. Wherever they were they played it a hundred percent."

"They're a very experienced team. They, of course, were up for the championship game," said Harvard Coach Chris Hafferty. "They're used to a higher level of play. It took us three quarters to get used to how strong they were and how fast they were."

In that fourth period, the Crimson outscored the Rockets, 4-3. It was the biggest game in many of the Harvard players' lives, and that last stanza was, according to some players, a partial victory.

"I thought they put in a big effort in the off-season and during the season," Hafferty said. "As far as I was concerned, it was the turnaround for the entire program."

It was a far cry from the Harvard showing a year ago at the Eastern tournament. The Crimson had lost three games in a row that weekend, placing it in the cellar.

"We weren't even close to winning any of those games," Hafferty said.

Even if Harvard doesn't play another game this season, it, like Casey Jones, went down with its hand on the brake.