Wright goes up over two Big Green Defenders for the score

While you were at home catching up on sleep and watching TV, the basketball team was back at school, kicking off Ivy League basketball by defeating Dartmouth in a blowout, 76-47. The team’s star, Jeremy Lin, finished the game with 11 points and six steals, one of which resulted in a highlight-worthy breakaway dunk.  The true star of this game, however, was Keith Wright, who finished with 22 points, three blocks, and six rebounds.  Freshman Kyle Casey was impressive, off the bench, with four blocks and an alley-oop on a pass from guard Oliver McNally.

With the win, Harvard improves to 12-3 overall and begins at 1-0 within the Ivy League.  In the past, Harvard has not had a noted basketball program.  Last season, they finished at 14-14 overall and 6-8 in the Ivy League.  This year is a different story. Tommy Amaker returns in his third season as head coach and his efforts in revitalizing the program, espescially at the recruiting level, are now showing.  Lin is averaging 17.0 points/game and the rest of the team is shining as well.  Harvard has defeated Holy Cross, William & Mary, Boston University, Boston College, and George Washington.  They also played a close game as the away team against then No. 13 UConn, before falling 79-73, a game in which Lin scored 30 points.

Cornell was the Ivy League favorite at the start of the season and has won the league the past two seasons.  Like Harvard, Cornell has been having a great season which includes a near upset then No. 1 Kansas University in Kansas one week ago.  They stand at 14-3 in overall play and play their first Ivy League game against Columbia on January 16.  The Ivy League does not have playoffs.  Instead, the league champion is decided by regular season Ivy League records.  That champion receives an automatic berth the the NCAA Division I Tournament, March Madness.  Harvard has not played in the tournament since 1946, but this perhaps this will be the year.  The Ivy League championship could quite likely come down to the two games between Harvard and Cornell.  The teams meet in Ithaca, January 30, and again at home February 19.