RTC Live: Harvard @ Loyola Marymount
Posted by rtmsf on November 19th, 2011
RTC Live moves out west for an interesting matchup between the best team in the Ivy League and a team who has already scalped local behemoth UCLA this season. Will the Lions prove they’re more than a one-trick pony this season; join us to find out tonight, after the jump.
Game #24: The Ivy League goes Hollywood, as Harvard travels to the Harvard-of-the-South-Bay, Loyola Marymount, Saturday night for an interesting intersectional matchup. The host Lions got their season off to a hot start with an upset of UCLA in the opener last Friday night, but stumbled on Sunday against Middle Tennessee State, while the Crimson have handled MIT and Holy Cross with relative ease. Last year’s Ivy League Player of the Year, Keith Wright, has picked up where he left off last season, averaging 14 points and seven rebounds thus far, and he’ll likely be matched up with LMU’s Ashley Hamilton, who was spectacular in the Lions’ opener, pouring in 23 points on his way to overshadowing UCLA’s vaunted frontline. LMU’s point guard Anthony Ireland will have his hands full with a Harvard backcourt overflowing with talented guards ready to drop a three-pointer in your face when given a moment’s daylight. Harvard has dreams of making its first NCAA Tournament in 65 years, and the road to such an accomplishment includes traveling cross-country and proving that they’re able to notch road victories against mid-major opponents.
Recap: Harvard 77, Loyola Marymount 67
Harvard bounced back from a slow start a continent away from home Saturday night, erasing a 13-point first half deficit with a 25-8 run to close the first half, then built their second half lead as high as 18 before closing out a ten-point victory over Loyola Marymount on Saturday night. After getting off to a slow shooting start, the Crimson wound up posting a 58.5 effective field goal percentage and dominated the Lions on the glass, grabbing 83.3% of all available defensive rebounds and 39.3% of their offensive rebound opportunities. Sophomore guard Laurent Rivard led Harvard in scoring with 20 points, including five threes, but it was the frontcourt duo of Keith Wright (15 points, six rebounds) and Kyle Casey (12 points, six rebounds) that caused the biggest problems. LMU was led by their impressive backcourt, especially sophomore point guard Anthony Ireland (24 points, 5 assists), and Harvard coach Tommy Amaker admitted after the game “we couldn’t guard him.” But junior forward Ashley Hamilton went down with an injury at the end of the first half and LMU never seriously challenged in the second half. While Harvard has bigger challenges to come on their schedule (they travel to Connecticut on 12/8), going across the country and scoring a tough road win after a shaky start is a good win for the Crimson, and one that they’ll be able to build on as they move on from here.
