Princeton held a a double-digit lead with as little as 5:31 to play, but the determined Crimson seniors put forth a resurgent effort to set up the pressure-packed finish. However, Harvard’s 14-4 run to close the game left the seniors just short of gaining their first-ever win over the Tigers.
The highlight of the first half for the Crimson belonged to Merchant. In a 1:15 span, Merchant hit three three-pointers to close a 10-point Princeton lead to just one with 6:44 left before halftime.
Merchant led the team with 22 points, shooting 6-for-9 from three-point range.
The Tigers took a six-point lead into the locker room on the strength of their defense, which held Harvard without a field goal over the final 4:40 of the half.
Princeton shot a staggering 56 percent from the field for the game, taking advantage of easy layup opportunities off its classic backdoor play. Ray Robins finished with 22 points, most of them coming on backcuts that victimized Crimson senior forward Sam Winter.
Harvard stayed close thanks to the Tigers’ poor effort from the charity stripe. Princeton went just 0-for-6 from the line in the second half, and just 3-for-10 on the game.
“We were ahead and held on,” Thompson said. “But we have to make our foul shots.”
The Crimson has lost seven out of its last eight Ivy League games and its last three at home. Harvard must win three of its final four games to post its third consecutive winning season. If the team wins out, it will finish at 7-7 in the Ivies for the fifth consecutive year.
Penn 82, Harvard 66
For the second time this season, the Quakers (17-5, 9-0) put on a shooting clinic at Harvard’s expense. Penn guards Jeff Schiffner and Tim Begley led the attack, combining to make 10 of the team’s 16 three-pointers.
The Crimson handled the potent Quaker interior game well, again containing Penn’s frontcourt tandem of Ugonna Onyekwe and Koko Archibong and outscoring the Quakers 26-10 in the paint. However, the focus on the inside game allowed Penn’s perimeter shooters to get open looks all night. They capitalized, shooting an astounding 52 percent from three-point range.
“I’ve been in the league 12 years now, and I don’t think I’ve seen a team with a better inside-outside combination than this Penn team,” said Harvard coach Frank Sullivan.
For most of the game, the Crimson remained within striking distance of the Quakers, but Penn staved off each Harvard charge.
In the first half, the Crimson was able to pull to within a point with 7:47 left to go on the strength of a 12-3 run.
After the Quakers opened up another big lead late in the half, Prasse-Freeman hit two threes in a 40-second span and Harvard had the ball trailing by just five with less than a minute to go in the half. However, Schiffner hit a three to give Penn a 44-36 advantage and the momentum entering halftime.
The Quakers didn’t let the Crimson get any closer than seven points in the second half. Archibong’s three-pointer with 4:52 to go put Penn ahead 74-61 and finally closed the door on a pesky Harvard squad.
“It didn’t seem like we could get any real good rhythm,” Sullivan said. “They had answers each time there was a spurt.”
Merchant had an uncharacteristic off night, scoring only five points on 2-of-6 shooting. Prasse-Freeman picked up the slack, registering a double-double. He led the Crimson with 13 points and 10 assists.