In basketball, if you can't put the ball through the hoop, you lose. Even small children and certain species of dog generally have a firm grasp on this self-evident truth.

This weekend, though, the Lehigh men's basketball team had to relearn that fundamental truth the hard way.

On Saturday evening, Harvard (1-1) soundly defeated Lehigh (0-3), 73-52, as the Mountain Hawks shot an abysmal 30 percent from the floor before a modest crowd at Lavietes Pavilion.

The win was Harvard's first of the season and the 21-point margin of victory set a new standard for the Crimson in its 17-year rivalry with Lehigh.

Captain Dan Clemente poured in 23 points to lead all scorers and to pace the Crimson offensively for the second straight game. The 6'6 forward also chipped in with eight rebounds and four steals.

Clemente is currently 18th on the all-time scoring list with 1,034 points and needs only 13 three-pointers to become Harvard's all-time leading marksman from beyond the arc.

In terms of shooting percentage, the Crimson fared much better than its Patriot League opponent. Harvard shot a robust 57 percent from the floor in the second half and finished the game with a solid field goal conversion rate of 48 percent.

Despite the healthy offensive numbers though, Harvard's victory on Saturday should be credited largely to its defensive performance in the second half.