Harvard twice was able to make it a two-possession game—first when junior captain Norman hit a layup to bring the Crimson within six with 2:27 remaining and then again after two free throws by Rogus restored the margin to a half dozen with 52 seconds to play—but never came any closer.
Stehle recorded Harvard’s first double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds in 34 minutes—all career highs—despite missing the last two days of practices with a deep contusion of his thigh after getting kneed at the end of the Crimson’s 81-75 loss to New Hampshire on Saturday.
Stehle also tied a career high with three blocks, increasing his Ivy League-leading average to 2.25 per game.
Beal turned in a very steady game with a career-high eight assists against no turnovers.
As a team, Harvard had 15 assists but still ranks last in the Ivy League with an average of 10.75 per game.
Beal also added seven rebounds and 10 points despite not looking for his shot as much as he had in previous games.
“I’m just trying to think less about my scoring and more about trying to get my team involved,” Beal said. “Really, I just slowed down. A lot of times before I was going too fast and driving too hard. I was just trying to let the game come to me.”
Beal took only five shots all night, hitting three of them.
As he has in every game this season, Rogus led the Crimson in scoring, chipping in 22 points.
Norman added 10 in a career-high 36 minutes of action.
Despite the early deficit, Harvard did manage to solve a few minor problems in the first half that had been plaguing the squad.
The Crimson hit all eight of its first-half free throws and held Maine to just one offensive rebound in the half.
Late in the first half, the Harvard bench was assessed a technical foul as Sullivan continued to argue a foul that had been called on Beatty away from the ball 20 seconds earlier.
The Crimson had been 4-0 against the Black Bears, although the two schools hadn’t played since 1929.
—Staff writer Alan G. Ginsberg can be reached at aginsber@fas.harvard.edu.