Completed Event: Men's Basketball at Penn on February 21, 2025 , Loss , 75, to, 88
Final
Men's Basketball
at Penn
75
88
Saturday, February 10
Cambridge, Mass. / Lavietes Pavilion
2:00 PM
Dartmouth College
5-15,1-6Ivy League
59
at
77
Harvard
12-8,3-4Ivy League
1
2
F
Dartmouth
28
31
59
Harvard
41
36
77
Photo by: Justin Lafleur
Crimson Pull Away to Beat Big Green, 77-59
2/10/2024 5:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The loss snapped Dartmouth’s 3-game win streak against Harvard
BOSTON — Harvard staged a 14-2 to turn a one-point Big Green lead into an 11-point Crimson advantage, as the Dartmouth men's basketball team could never recover in a 77-59 loss on Saturday afternoon inside Lavietas Pavilion. Senior Dusan Neskovic led the offense with 20 points, his fifth 20+ point effort of the season.
With the win, Harvard improves to 12-8 and 3-4 in the Ivy League. Dartmouth falls to 5-15 and 1-6 in the league.
"They were a little more physical than us to start the game. It set the tone and got us in a little bit of foul trouble, which got us out of rhythm," said Dartmouth head coach David McLaughlin. "We made a run midway through the half, but they made a couple shots towards the end of the run."
The Big Green had pulled within 32-26 with just under four minutes left in the first half, but Harvard ended the stanza with nine of the final 11 points, including six straight, to take a commanding 41-28 halftime lead.
"To start the second half, I thought we were solid," said McLaughlin. "We had some good looks, good execution with a couple shots that didn't fall. Midway through the half, we had a couple possessions where we defended them through the clock, but Mack made a couple tough shots, which he's going to make and they're going to make. But those are daggers when you defend for 25 seconds and then they make a pull-up three."
Neskovic's 20 points came on 7-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Senior Jaren Johnson added 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal without a turnover. It was his sixth game this season with double-figure points. Senior Izaiah Robinson contributed eight points on 3-of-6 shooting off the bench. Sophomore Jackson Munro had five points and four assists, marking the fourth straight game he's led the Big Green in helpers — posting 20 in that span.
Sophomore Brandon Mitchell-Day struggled offensively, scoring just three points, but adding seven rebounds and a career-high four blocks, more than double his previous high. As a team, Dartmouth recorded seven blocks for the game.
Malik Mack led Harvard with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three.
Johnson converted four free throws in the opening minutes to give Dartmouth leads of 5-3 then 7-5. Not long after, Neskovic began to catch fire, scoring seven points in the span of 2:30. The final driving layup gave the Big Green the lead back, 14-13, with 12:05 on the first-half clock.
Heading into the final five minutes of the first trailing by 11, a Williams layup and Munro 3-pointer pulled Dartmouth within 30-24.
Romeo Myrthil scored the first four points of the second half, pulling the Big Green within nine, but that's as close as they would come. As the second half progressed, Harvard erased any doubt with a 14-2 run to take a 67-42 lead with 6:23 remaining.
Dartmouth used a 7-0 surge, behind a Robinson 3-pointer and baskets from Munro and Neskovic, to pull within 67-49 with 4:49 to go. That 18-point margin proved to be the final, as Harvard wrapped up the 77-59 win.
"I thought the guys continued to battle," said McLaughiln. "I know we'll be ready to go on Monday."
For the game, the Big Green shot 40.0 percent from the floor (20-of-50), including 35.7 percent from 3-point range (5-of-14). Harvard finished at 50.0 percent (25-of-50) and 47.6 percent from behind the arc (10-of-21). The Crimson held a 34-27 edge in rebounds.
Next up, the Big Green hit the road for two next weekend, at Columbia on Friday night and Cornell on Saturday evening.
With the win, Harvard improves to 12-8 and 3-4 in the Ivy League. Dartmouth falls to 5-15 and 1-6 in the league.
"They were a little more physical than us to start the game. It set the tone and got us in a little bit of foul trouble, which got us out of rhythm," said Dartmouth head coach David McLaughlin. "We made a run midway through the half, but they made a couple shots towards the end of the run."
The Big Green had pulled within 32-26 with just under four minutes left in the first half, but Harvard ended the stanza with nine of the final 11 points, including six straight, to take a commanding 41-28 halftime lead.
"To start the second half, I thought we were solid," said McLaughlin. "We had some good looks, good execution with a couple shots that didn't fall. Midway through the half, we had a couple possessions where we defended them through the clock, but Mack made a couple tough shots, which he's going to make and they're going to make. But those are daggers when you defend for 25 seconds and then they make a pull-up three."
Neskovic's 20 points came on 7-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Senior Jaren Johnson added 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal without a turnover. It was his sixth game this season with double-figure points. Senior Izaiah Robinson contributed eight points on 3-of-6 shooting off the bench. Sophomore Jackson Munro had five points and four assists, marking the fourth straight game he's led the Big Green in helpers — posting 20 in that span.
Sophomore Brandon Mitchell-Day struggled offensively, scoring just three points, but adding seven rebounds and a career-high four blocks, more than double his previous high. As a team, Dartmouth recorded seven blocks for the game.
Malik Mack led Harvard with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three.
Johnson converted four free throws in the opening minutes to give Dartmouth leads of 5-3 then 7-5. Not long after, Neskovic began to catch fire, scoring seven points in the span of 2:30. The final driving layup gave the Big Green the lead back, 14-13, with 12:05 on the first-half clock.
Harvard responded with a 9-0 run, as a Louis Lesmond 3-pointer gave the Crimson a 22-14 lead midway through the second half. Just 1:27 later, a short Chisom Okpara jumper gave Harvard a 27-16 advantage with 8:18 left in the first half.Neskovic is up to seven points after this driving layup. The Big Green trail 17-14 with 10:33 currently remaining in the first half.
— Dartmouth Men's Basketball (@DartmouthMBB) February 10, 2024
Watch on @ESPNPlus: https://t.co/HnNryJ9Af5#GoBigGreen pic.twitter.com/Ur1pxsZL64
Heading into the final five minutes of the first trailing by 11, a Williams layup and Munro 3-pointer pulled Dartmouth within 30-24.
However, the Crimson answered. Their response was capped off by Thomas Batties II scoring the final six points of the half, knocking down 3-pointers with 2:40 on the clock, then at the first-half buzzer, to give Harvard a 41-28 halftime lead.Five straight Big Green points, capped off by this Munro three, as Harvard calls timeout. Dartmouth back within six with 4:01 left in the first.
— Dartmouth Men's Basketball (@DartmouthMBB) February 10, 2024
Watch on @ESPNPlus: https://t.co/HnNryJ9Af5 #GoBigGreen pic.twitter.com/apwfNMreo6
Romeo Myrthil scored the first four points of the second half, pulling the Big Green within nine, but that's as close as they would come. As the second half progressed, Harvard erased any doubt with a 14-2 run to take a 67-42 lead with 6:23 remaining.
Dartmouth used a 7-0 surge, behind a Robinson 3-pointer and baskets from Munro and Neskovic, to pull within 67-49 with 4:49 to go. That 18-point margin proved to be the final, as Harvard wrapped up the 77-59 win.
"I thought the guys continued to battle," said McLaughiln. "I know we'll be ready to go on Monday."
For the game, the Big Green shot 40.0 percent from the floor (20-of-50), including 35.7 percent from 3-point range (5-of-14). Harvard finished at 50.0 percent (25-of-50) and 47.6 percent from behind the arc (10-of-21). The Crimson held a 34-27 edge in rebounds.
Next up, the Big Green hit the road for two next weekend, at Columbia on Friday night and Cornell on Saturday evening.
Team Stats
Dart
HU
FG%
.400
.500
3FG%
.357
.476
FT%
.737
.773
RB
27
34
TO
13
10
STL
5
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
4
Pts
10
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
6
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballG
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