With Ivy League play right around the corner, Harvard leads the conference with an 8-5 non-conference record. While the variability of non-conference schedules from team to team make it difficult to judge the Crimson’s Ancient Eight competition based on their records, first half matchups provide valuable insight about the strengths and weaknesses of each team.

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2012 might have been the most memorable year in modern Harvard sports history. Most of the memories have been positive, but there have been a few bad ones as well. A lot of these memories have come in the form of defeats at the hands of the Tigers from Princeton.

During the 2012 fall sports season, Crimson teams have fallen to the Tigers on the field, on the ice, and on the court. Whether it’s a 7-0 blowout in field hockey, or a miraculous comeback in the final frame of a football game, Princeton has somehow found a way to edge out Harvard in almost every contest this fall.

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In a matchup between teams going in opposite direction, Jeremy Lin ’10 and the Rockets won their fifth straight game, 125-112, over the Los Angeles Lakers—dealing the Kobe Bryant-led squad its fourth straight loss. After recording only three points in the first half, Lin poured in 16 during the third and fourth quarters as the Rockets outscored the Lakers 66-50 in the second half. It was the third straight game that the Rockets overcame a double-digit deficit.

The Rockets rank first in the NBA in points per game and feature an MVP candidate in shooting guard James Harden but allowed the Lakers to score 62 points in the first half. However, Carlos Delfino’s four three pointers in the first half kept the score close and the team trailed by only three points at the break. In the third quarter, the Rockets outscored the Lakers by 12 points and Lin added nine points and three assists.

The Rockets are 14-6 at home on the season and have won 10 of their last 12 contests, with Harden scoring over 25 points in each game. They are within two games of the Golden State Warriors for fifth in the Western Conference, while the loss dropped the Lakers four games out of a playoff spot.

In the second quarter, Lakers point guard Steve Nash recorded his 10,000th assist, a small consolation in wake of the team’s fourth straight loss to a playoff teamfrom last year. On the heels of a 5-1 stretch that represented its best run of the season, the team lost All-Stars Dwight Howard (torn labrum) and Pau Gasol (concussion) indefinitely and while Gasol was home seeing a doctor, Howard nursed his injury on the bench in street clothes.

Lin finished an efficient 7-of-13 from the field en route to his 19 points, mixing driving layups with pull-up three pointers on the break. In the first half, Lin played more off the ball and set screens for Carlos Delfino, who hit five three-pointers in the game. Lin and backcourt mate Harden combined for 50 points, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds on the day.

During Wednesday night’s contest between the Rockets (21-15) and Hornets (10-25), the ball was in Jeremy Lin ’10’s hands early and often, but the Harvard grad failed to put up major numbers, only registering nine points for Houston in a nine-point loss.

Despite playing 42 minutes, Lin failed to reach double-digit points while his teammate James Harden tallied 25 points for the Rockets. The game marked his 14th consecutive game in which he scored at least 25 points, a new franchise record.

Although he struggled to find the hoop, Lin found other ways to lead the offense, notching a team-high five assists and a game-high five steals. He currently leads the team in assists per game (6.3) and steals per game (1.9).

Lin struggled through a scoring drought in the fourth quarter, but tallied two points for Houston with a jump shot in the final five seconds of the contest, bringing the final score to 88-79.

Lin and the Rockets face the Celtics (18-17) hoping to start another winning streak after having their five-game run snapped by the Hornets.

In preparation for the Harvard men’s hockey team’s nationally televised game against the Boston University Terriers, The Back Page brings a ‘By the Numbers’ look at the two teams.

Harvard

6 … The winless streak for Harvard coming into the game (0-5-1)

7 … Goals scored in the last six games for the Crimson after scoring eight in its previous two

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