Tim Hill starts every game the same way.

As the other nine men on the floor are exchanging gibes and handshakes around the tip-off circle, the Harvard men's basketball team's senior point guard stands 20 feet back at his own free-throw line, one fist raised in the air.

"It's just a habit of mine," Hill says. "After coming out of the huddle to start the game, I don't really like to talk to anybody. While the national anthem's playing, that's my quiet time. I think of how I want the game to be run, just mentally prepare myself.

"When I come out of the huddle, I would prefer not to say anything to anybody. So I just nod at the referee and let the other guys know it's all business."

Hill's business over his four years in a Crimson uniform has been nothing short of excellence.

He will graduate with more assists than anyone in the history of Harvard basketball, having passed Tarik Campbell '94 with his 571st last weekend. He will likely finish in seventh place on the all-time scoring list, just behind one-time teammate Kyle Snowden '97, who had 1,429 points.

This season, Hill has been widely recognized as the Ivy League's most talented point guard, comfortably leading the conference in assists with 6.4 a game (12th in the nation) and placing fifth with 16.1 points per game. He features a three-to-one assists-to-turnovers ratio and has played 953 of a possible 970 minutes.

But Hill prefers not to talk about his laundry list of impressive individual numbers. To his credit, Hill is most proud of a record he accomplished with the help of countless others.

"The aspect of my career that I'm most pleased with is the fact that with one more win, we're going to be the winningest class in Harvard's history," Hill says. "That's a great accomplishment considering that there hasn't been much of a tradition of basketball here at Harvard."

Certainly not before Hill arrived. In the 1994-95 season, Coach Frank Sullivan's fourth at the helm, Harvard was 6-20 with a 4-10 Ivy League record. Since Hill's rookie season, the Crimson is 56-46, 28-26 in the Ivies.

But Hill has been one of a cast of four seniors--including captain Paul Fisher, shooting guard Mike Beam, center Bill Ewing and guard Chris Dexter--that has put Harvard basketball on the map.

Last Saturday, on senior night at Lavietes Pavilion, Hill and Harvard snapped a 17-game losing streak against Princeton, posting an 87-79 overtime upset. Hill, characteristically, led the way with a game-high 27 points and four assists.

"I don't think we could have scripted Saturday night to be any better," Hill says. "The fact that it was our last game at home, and it was Princeton--whom everybody in the country knows about--made it an incredible way to go out."

Indeed, it was a fitting Hollywood ending for a career that began with the highest of expectations.

The Ijamsville, Md. native was a four-year starter at prestigious DeMatha High School, where in his senior year he captained a team ranked No. 10 in the nation by USA Today. A touted recruit, Hill was courted by several ACC schools but opted for Harvard early decision.