With that said, UConn will step on the court Sunday riding a great deal of momentum, as well. The Huskies have started the season 6-1 with their sole loss coming at the hands of No. 6 Duke in the finals of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden.

Harvard and UConn have shared two opponents this season—William and Mary and Boston University. While the Crimson and the Huskies each emerged 2-0 in the contests, UConn has done so with far greater ease.

It took Harvard three overtimes to defeat William and Mary and a late comeback to come out on top over Boston University; the Huskies, on the other hand, won the two contests by an average of 18.5 points.

Additionally UConn holds on to a significant historical advantage against the Crimson, leading the all-time series 12-2 with Harvard’s last victory coming during the 1972-73 season.

Despite all signs pointing toward a Huskies victory, the Crimson players believe they can make their presence felt.

“I don’t like the phrase that we have nothing to lose because we expect to compete and do well against them,” McNally said.

If there’s one player who should believe this, it’s co-captain Jeremy Lin. Last season, Lin exploded for 27 points, eight assists, and six steals against then-No. 17 Boston College, propelling Harvard to its first victory over a ranked opponent.

“We’re definitely the underdog,” the 6’3 guard said. “We understand that so we’re all excited and we’re ready to see whether we can make some noise.”