And finally, in each the last two seasons, Harvard has more or less been one basket away from Madness.

In a 2011 Ivy League playoff against Princeton, Doug Davis hit a buzzer beater to send the Crimson to the NIT.

Saturday night, that Curse—well, frustration, for those of you who aren’t as superstitious—proved that it continues to reign free over Harvard basketball.

With a win, Harvard would have locked up at least a share of the Ivy League title, and for all intents and purposes, it would have sealed the Tournament berth.

In the final seconds of the game, co-captain Oliver McNally found Kyle Casey inside, who appeared hit the layup. Harvard looked like it had taken a one point lead with about three ticks left.

But the Crimson was called for a charge, and Harvard couldn’t foul the Quakers in the final moments of the game—another questionable call, really. I would say that the only thing that kept the student section from rioting was that it was too stunned to do so.

Barring any upsets in the final week of the season, Harvard may very well have to suit up against Penn for another Ivy League playoff in New Haven.

For Harvard fans, it’s tough not to be pessimistic at this point. And I can’t think of a better time for the Curse of the Bikini to rear its ugly head than at a playoff game at the start of Spring Break.

On the way back to campus after Saturday’s game against Penn, a passer-by asked what had happened in the contest. It took a few melancholic grunts from the students, but he eventually figured it out.

His response: “If I were you, I’d drink heavily.”

At least for the time being, that would probably help.

—Staff writer E. Benjamin Samuels can be reached at samuels@college.harvard.edu.