Still, the Minutemen proved game, struggling out of Saunder’s trap multiple times. The teams fought back and forth after Saunders tied the game at 45 before UMass’ Zach Coleman brought his supporters to their feet again with a dunk that put his team up three.

If you’ve been paying attention, you probably know what happened next. Saunders provided another lesson is space-creation and finishing, driving from right in front of Amaker to the basket, scoring two points despite drawing contact.

A play later, Chambers found Saunders for what looked like a lazy transition three-pointer to anyone that hasn’t watched the smooth senior cash them in for the better part of three years. This one went down too. Harvard was up two with just under seven minutes to play.

Massachusetts made one more push, tying the game with 1:14 left. Saunders earned and cashed in two free throws on the ensuing possession and then completed a three-point play, dribbling behind his back and hitting a six-footer while being pushed backwards.

“I just tried to…draw a foul or make a shot and luckily I did both,” he explained afterwards.

Saunders claimed a key defensive rebound with three seconds left to boot.

He finished with 27 points. With co-captain Steve Moundou-Missi limited by foul trouble and Chambers going scoreless in the first-half, Harvard needed just about all of them.

“Absolutely sensational,” Amaker said. “I thought he made critical baskets and critical plays for us to put us in position to win.”

Of course he was talking about Wesley Saunders.

—Staff writer Jacob D.H. Feldman can be reached at jacob.feldman@thecrimson.com.