Call 'em the Cardiac Kids. Or Frank and the Miracles. Maybe even the Wild Boys.

But whatever you do, call this year's Harvard men's basketball team Much Improved. After last night's 67-66 win over Dartmouth (1-4, 0-1 Ivy) at Briggs Cage, the Crimson (4-2, 1-0 Ivy) has established itself firmly as a team on the rise.

"This feels great, just great," said sophomore Darren Rankin, who scored a game-high 21 points. "We're on top of the Ivy now, and this was a great way to pull it out."

That "great way," which is quickly becoming Harvard's trademark in this young season, meant--you guessed it--an agonizing finish.

To set the scene: After fighting to a 32-29 halftime lead in a rough, wide-open contest, the Crimson extended its lead in the second half to as many as nine points, the last time at 61-52 with seven minutes left.

Harvard's offense stalled down the stretch against a suddenly energized Dartmouth defense, however, and the Crimson found itself down, 66-65, after the Big Green's Seamus Lonergan scored a layup with 15 seconds left in the game.

Enter freshman Kyle Snowden. The Harvard forward, who scored 15 points and grabbed five rebounds for the night, received a Tarik Campbell pass inside and was fouled with just three ticks left on the clock. After Dartmouth called a timeout to try to rattle him, he calmly stepped to the free throw line.

"I wasn't thinking about anything except hitting those two free throws," Snowden said later.

Swish. Cheers. Swish. More cheers.

Ballgame, Harvard. Whew.

"I didn't hear a word Coach Sullivan said during that last timeout," a grinning Snowden said after the game. "I just wanted to get to the line."

One imagines that Sullivan will overlook his young star's inattention. After all, the 6'7" Snowden has developed quickly this season alongside Rankin to give Harvard a strong 1-2 punch inside.

"He's a very poised guy," Sullivan said of the Thayer Academy product. "For a freshman to step up like that in his first Ivy League game and win a game--that's just amazing."

Amazing indeed. The simple fact that Harvard defeated Dartmouth one year after two crushing losses to the Big Green was amazing enough.

Dartmouth Offense Still Sharp