The Harvard men's basketball team will look to start this year's Ivy League season with a win tomorrow afternoon when it takes on Dartmouth at Lavietes Pavilion at 2 p.m.

It has been an uneven year so far for the Crimson (3-3), who is setting out to better the 7-7 conference record that it posted last year.

Dartmouth (1-5) has struggled through a rough start, with its lone win coming against Division III Haverford in its last outing.

Harvard expects the Big Green to come out and play tough, however.

"Traditionally, they finish their exams a week before this game, and are always energized and prepared when they come here," Harvard Coach Frank Sullivan said in an e-mail. "Being the opener for the entire league makes the game a bit special for both teams."

Harvard will look to its defense to pick up its play against the Big Green. Dartmouth likes to set up the three-point shot on offense and boasts a true marksman in senior guard Greg Buth.

Buth, who led the nation in field-goal percentage from beyond the arc two years ago, is coming off a 20-point performance against Haverford, when he nailed 5 of 6 threes.

"It's always been the defense with us," captain Dan Clemente said, referring to the part of the game Harvard needs to improve most. "We know we can play, we just have to shut down the threes."