Harvard coach Frank Sullivan must have given one heck of a halftime speech.

After a back-and-forth first half that left the men's basketball team up 37-36, the Crimson offense exploded for 51 points in the second frame and pulled away against the Northeastern Huskies (0-3, 0-0 America East), winning 88-65.

Harvard (2-1, 0-0 Ivy) took control of the game with 16-of-22 shooting (72.7 percent) in the second half and strong play from captain Dan Clemente.

Clemente led all scorers with 24 points, and sophomore guard Pat Harvey added 23.

Sophomore point guard Elliott Prasse-Freeman also tied his own single-season record for assists, chipping in 15 against the Huskies against only three turnovers.

"It was a terrific win for us," Sullivan said. "Our players weathered the storm, and we felt positive about being up after the first half."

Despite the final score, Harvard struggled early on against a Northeastern team that lost by only six points to Miami, a nationally competitive program. Luckily, the Crimson held on long enough to end the first half in comparatively good shape.

Before a minute of the game had gone by, Clemente picked up two personal fouls and had to be replaced. With over nineteen minutes left in the half, the Crimson was suddenly without its star player and offensive leader.