Through the first half, Winter and Beatty had shared defensive duties on Brown, limiting him to 2-of-7 shooting from the floor while Gellert’s watchful defense of scoring threat Ganly held him to three points for the half. Winter attributed Harvard’s success in guarding the main Wildcat threats to preparation and pressure.

“We knew they were trying to go down low to them,” Winter said. “They were spreading the court. It’s partly a credit to the perimeter players having good pressure on the ball; it’s part of their responsibility to keep the ball out of the post.”

Harvard didn’t help itself from the charity line—the Crimson was 10-for-22 for the game.

“Anytime you don’t help yourself from the free-throw line on the road, you should consider yourself lucky to win,” Sullivan said. “Fortunately, UNH experienced the same problems.”

Going into last night’s game, UNH was first in the America East Conference with 74.6 percent free-throw shooting. Ganly led the way, having made 31 of his 32 shots from the charity line this season. Yet tonight, the Wildcats put up a dismal 7-for-22 from the stripe.

With the victory, Harvard avoided a three-game slide and will look to ride that momentum into its Ivy League opener against Dartmouth on Saturday afternoon.