Yale’s frontcourt also found success on the offensive end, as Kreisberg and Mangano combined for 21 points and 14 rebounds.

The Bulldogs also received strong production from Morgan, a 5’11” guard who notched 22 points on just five shots.

“They’re really diverse [offensively],” Casey said. “They’ve got two great big men down low, and they’ve got guards that can knock down open shots. They run them off a lot of screens, and it’s really hard to guard. You’ve got to talk and communicate all 35 seconds.”

The Crimson struggled defending Yale’s offense in the first half in particular, as the Bulldogs shot 56 percent from the floor and five-of-nine from beyond the arc. Led by Mangano’s 12 first-half points, Yale went into halftime boasting a one-point lead, 39-38.

Harvard, keyed by baskets from Wright and Casey, opened the second frame on an 8-1 run to take the six-point lead. But just when it looked like the Crimson was poised to break the game open, Mangano punched back with a trey and a layup to make it a one-point game.

Yale regained the advantage with 9:27 remaining on a Rhett Anderson layup, but it didn’t last for long. Wright answered with a layup and freshman Matt Brown drilled a three to give Harvard the three-point edge.

While the score would become tied twice more, the Crimson never trailed the rest of the way en route to the three-point win.