“He needs practice,” Amaker said. “I don’t want it to be where we’re using him in the game and then we can’t have him for practice.”

The result of the depleted frontcourt—the only experienced forwards were co-captain Doug Miller and freshman Kyle Casey—was a variety of small lineups that spread the floor on offense and pressured the ball on defense.

“One of the older tricks in the game is that if you’re worried about the way that you can match up, try to create something [so] that they’ll adjust to you,” Amaker said.

At one point, the Crimson’s biggest player on the court was the 6’6”, 180-pound Giger.

“I think it’s very fun when we play small,” Curry said. “We’re flying on defense, we’re four-out-one-in, and we’re just playing.”

DON’T ACT LIKE YOU’RE NOT IMPRESSED

Saturday’s contest featured a pair of highlight-reel dunks. The first came five minutes into the second half, when Columbia guard Noruwa Agho launched a three-pointer that rattled off the rim. Lions forward Ansenso Ampim swooped in, grabbed the rebound in the air, and slammed it home in one motion.

Midway through the second half, Casey stole the ball on the perimeter and took off downcourt uncontested. He gathered himself on two feet and threw down a one-handed jam to the crowd’s delight.

At least one observer, though, was unimpressed.

“It was kind of weak,” Curry said. “I was hoping he was going to windmill it.”

—Staff writer Timothy J. Walsh can be reached at twalsh@fas.harvard.edu.