A day after trying to keep up with Penn's fast-tempo attack, Harvard will need to be patient against Princeton's deliberate offense.

Head Coach John Thompson III--son of the famous former Georgetown coach--has not deviated from the half-court, backdoor style of play that made the Tigers famous under former coaches Carmody and Pete Carill. Thompson was an assistant under both coaches.

"They've now got some younger players filling the roles. But the style of play hasn't changed," Sullivan said. It isn't broke yet, so why fix it."

Without a bona-fide star, Princeton relies on balance to score points. Mike Bechtold, scoring just over 10 ppg, is the only Tiger player averaging double-figures. Despite the inside presence of Nate Walton, son of NBA great Bill Walton, Princeton lives and dies by the outside shots. The Tigers have attempted more three-pointers than two-pointers this season.

Last weekend's loss at Columbia means that Harvard must realistically win each of its remaining games to have a shot at the Ivy League title. With two games each against Princeton and Penn remaining, finishing first is likely unattainable.

Yet even if a trip to the NCAA tournament is out of reach for Harvard, home victories against Princeton and Penn would still mark a successful season in most respects. More importantly, it would be a critical step to even more success in the future.