HANOVER, N.H.—Reka Cserny stood behind the charity stripe, knees slightly bent, squaring her shoulders towards the basket. In the stillness of Leede Arena, a single voice began to bellow from the stands:

“Up at Lake Winna-Bango...the far northern shore, lives a huge herd of moose, about sixty or more. And they all go around in a big happy bunch, looking for nice tender moose-moss to munch.”

“Only at an Ivy League school,” said Harvard coach Kathy Delaney-Smith.

Despite scattered chuckles and widespread bewilderment, the lone fan read on, reciting Dr. Seuss’ Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose at the top of his voice during each Harvard free throw attempt.

“It talks about Harvard,” he said during a respite from his cheering during the halftime intermission, while excitedly flipping to the appropriate page before declaiming once more.

“‘Get that moose! Get that moose!’ Thidwik heard a voice call. ‘Fire again and again and shoot straight, one and all! We must get his head for the Harvard Club wall!’”

But the lyrical cheer did fall on deaf ear. Each free throw they shot went straight through the pot.

All 13 tries made Big Green wet eyes. With each renewed cheer, for Dartmouth another tear.

For Cserny made six and three added two more, helping fair Harvard to just slam the door.

“We noticed him,” co-captain Hana Peljto laughed. “How could you not?”

HEIRED OUT

Big Green freshman center Elise Morrison’s 30-point performance against the Crimson two months ago led many pundits to brand her the heir apparent to Peljto’s throne as the Ancient Eight’s preeminent player. But much of the success Morrison realized in Dartmouth’s overtime victory at Lavietes Pavilion came as a result of Harvard’s unfamiliarity with her game.

This time, the Crimson was ready.

Allowing Morrison just four shots in the first half while keeping her away from the free throw line, Harvard limited the much-hyped prospect to just six points and a pair of rebounds, while forcing four turnovers.

With the game already well out of hand in the second half, Morrison tacked on nine more “junk” points, inflating her performance, Delaney-Smith said.