“It’s one thing to allow [Harvard co-captain Keith Wright]—the Player of the Year in the Ivy—to destroy you, but for a role player to come in and have a career-high on us, that’s disappointing—but our day was disappointing overall,” Lonergan said.

Moundou-Missi’s standout performance took on special meaning given that he played for current George Washington assistant coach Kevin Sutton for three years at Florida’s Montverde Academy.

“What I saw today, I was very pleased with,” Sutton said. “He continues to get better and improve.”

BIG D

Though Moundou-Missi took control offensively after the intermission, it was the Crimson’s performance on the other end of the floor that propelled it to its third win in three seasons over George Washington.

Entering Saturday boasting the nation’s sixth-ranked scoring defense, Harvard held the Colonials to a season-low 30 percent shooting from the field and 13 points in the first half.

“Their post men just manhandled us inside,” Lonergan said. “We missed some easy shots, and they made us take a lot of bad shots too, so I give them all the credit in the world.”

While it benefited from numerous missed opportunities by George Washington at the basket, the Crimson successfully clamped down the Colonials’ leading scorer, senior guard Tony Taylor, holding him to 3-of-12 field goal shooting.

He didn’t receive much help, as George Washington had 20 points in the paint to Harvard’s 36.

“Our guard play besides Tony was atrocious, and our post play was probably worse,” Lonergan said.

—Staff writer Dennis J. Zheng be reached at dzheng12@college.harvard.edu.