Confidence is running high for the Harvard men's basketball team. Three consecutive victories have lifted the Crimson's overall record to 8-5, and the squad seems to have come together right on the verge of crunch time.

"If anyone wants to win the Ivy League, they're going to have to come through Cambridge to do it," junior forward Chris Grancio said.

The Crimson certainly has sent a message to future opponents with its success of late. While Harvard's early season victories could be directly attributed to its high-powered offense (86 points per game en route to a 4-C start), the last three wins have come purely as a result of stifling defense.

After limiting Navy to 48 points and Dartmouth to 40, the Crimson shut down superstar center Adonal Foyle and Colgate, holding them to just 21 points in the second half and 54 for the game.

This weekend's tests should be nowhere near as taxing as stopping Foyle, but then again there is much more at stake as Harvard hosts Cornell tonight and Columbia tomorrow.

The Crimson would like nothing more than to grab two crucial home wins against solid league opponents as they tear into the meat of their Ancient Eight schedule.

"We have never gotten 10 wins in a season during my career, so to have done it halfway through the season would be a huge accomplishment," captain Darren Rankin said. "And of course, 3-1 in the Ivy League would be our best start ever, so obviously there's a lot of momentum involved."

To keep its momentum going, Harvard must deny Cornell guard Brandt Schuckman the three-point shot. Schuckman, the Big Red's leading scorer, is rapidly approaching the school's all-time record for three-pointers.

Slowing Schuckman will not be enough, though. Junior forward Eddie Samuel could give Harvard's defense fits if Big Red point guard DeShawn Standard is able to get him the ball down low. And Standard could get backcourt help from Alex Compton, who come off the bench to score 14 in a loss to SEC power Louisiana State.

Tomorrow night's challenge will likely present itself in the person of Jim Tubridy. Columbia's senior center has again established himself as a force to be reckoned with inside. He is among the Ivy League's leading rebounders with eight boards per contest, and has good shot-blocking ability as well.

Add guard C.J. Thompkins (12.6 ppg) and freshman phenom Justin Namolik to the mix, and the Lions could pull off the upset. Though they have not beaten Harvard in their past five meetings, this year's edition of the Columbia team is accustomed to playing on the road, having disputed 12 of its 14 games away from home.

All in all, however, Harvard must be the heavy favorite for both games. The Crimson is in top form, and neither Cornell nor Columbia is a particularly tough opponent. The memory of its December 28 loss to CalPoly San Luis Obispo, one of the nation's most hapless programs, is not easily erased, though. Harvard still has something to prove.