The Crimson are desperately in need of someone to step up from the backcourt to ease the loss of All-Ivy point guard Tim Hill and shooting guard Mike Beam.

Hill was the team's leading scorer and broke the Harvard record for career assists, averaging 16.1 points per game and 6.6 assists per game last year.

Prior to this season, captain Damian Long and sophomore Andrew Gellert were expected to get the nod to start in the backcourt, along with freshman Elliott Prasse-Freeman.

Just a month before the start of the season, however, Gellert went down with a separated right shoulder and will not be ready in time for the season opener. Sullivan said the earliest he could be available is a Nov. 23 game at Holy Cross.

"It's a pretty big setback for me," Gellert said. "I haven't been able to practice for the past couple of weeks and it's hard not being on the court with the rest of my teammates. It's important to get used to your teammates and I haven't had that chance, but hopefully I'll be able to start practicing in a week or two and be back to start the season."

Both Gellert's separated shoulder and sophomore guard Alex Lowder's recently-sprained ankle have opened up a lot of playing time in the backcourt, and the freshmen are sure to use every minute they can get.

Prasse-Freeman, a 6'3, 185-lb. point guard from Mercer Island High School in Washington state, headlines the freshmen class and is the most likely to be an impact player.

A High School All-American, Prasse-Freeman led his high school team to a pair of state championships in his junior and senior years while averaging 12 points, seven assists, and five boards per game.