Curry shot just 2-of-12 from the field, though he did come up with six assists and five rebounds. On the other side of the court, he was often tasked with marking Shabazz Napier, who finished with a team-high 18. Last year, Saunders held Napier scoreless for the first 32 minutes of the game, and the Huskies guard finished with just six points.

“Did [Curry's stamina] concern me somewhat? Yeah,” Amaker said, “But I think our guys are in pretty good shape, and certainly Brandyn has worked himself back to being able to play extended minutes.”

Chambers, on the other hand, thrived in Saunders’ absence. Looking to shoot more than usual, he finished with a game-high 21 points. Chambers looked like the best player on the court for lengthy stretches even though Connecticut’s starting backcourt is made up of two top-15 point guards.

"When Wesley went down, we were just going to do it as a team," Chambers said. "Somebody was going to step up."

That somebody ended up being Chambers himself. His performance was a big improvement over his last trip to Connecticut, when he had more turnovers (five) than points (three).

Harvard’s third starting guard, Laurent Rivard, came up big down the stretch. A four-point play followed by an old-fashioned three-point play on a put-back kept the Crimson alive in the final minute, but Harvard failed to get the potentially game-tying shot off in its final possession.

Ultimately, Saunders’ absence led to an odd combination of revelations. The offense sputtered at times, particularly late in the shot clock when Saunders often makes things happen by himself. Instead of that, the Crimson settled for 22 three-pointers (eight more than its season average) and shot just 36 percent from the field.

Yet, Harvard also showed it did not need Saunders to keep up with one of the best teams it will face all year. Chambers and Rivard stepped up offensively, while aggressive team defense helped the Crimson overcome the loss of its best defensive stopper. Assuming Saunders returns to full health soon, that bodes well for the Crimson’s future.