Harvard makes a statement in loss

SPOKANE, Wash. - For 18 seconds on Saturday, it was happening. Harvard owned basketball, too.

The school that churns out U.S. presidents, Supreme Court justices, billionaire CEOs and Nobel peace prizes was taking a serious run at altering the discourse on this year’s NCAA Tournament as well.

Harvard guard Laurent Rivard made a three-pointer from the corner, looped his thumb and finger together around his eye - the “three point goggles” - and flashed a determined glare toward a group of Crimson fans in the stands who were coming unhinged. Someone in the Harvard nation tweeted: “rooting for the 1 percent.”

The Ivy Leaguers had overcome a 16-point deficit to take a two-point lead over Michigan State, a team that always comes up big on college basketball’s biggest stage.

The next time down the floor, Spartans guard Travis Trice came back with a three to put his team back in the lead. A few minutes later, Michigan State was out of danger - not by much, though - on the way to an 80-73 victory that sent Harvard back home, but not without making a statement.

“We showed everybody that we can come all year and play with the best,” sophomore guard Siyani Chambers said.

Led by a career-high 26 points from Branden Dawson, the fourth-seeded Spartans (28-8) moved onto the Sweet 16 for the 12th time in the last 17 seasons. They’ll play Virginia or Memphis on Friday at Madison Square Garden.

A lot of fans thought Harvard could win their first game against Cincinnati. But even President Obama had picked Michigan State to eliminate his law school on the way to the national title.

Even in a loss, Harvard hoops proved it is here to stay.

“I thought our kids competed,” Coach Tommy Amaker said. “We knew we would.”

The program Amaker took over seven years ago was in its third consecutive NCAA tournament and two nights removed from only the second March Madness victory in school history. Last year, the encore was a disheartening 23-point loss to Arizona.This time, it was something much different against an opponent that may have been even better.

“That’s one thing Coach Amaker talks about, that we’re not just built for the Ivy League, we’re built to go past that,” junior forward Jonah Travis said. “That’s one of our main goals, to match up with teams like that and beat teams like that.”

Over a comeback that lasted 7 minutes, 31 seconds, 12th-seeded Harvard (28-5) pounded on Michigan State, plain and simple.

The rally started with a pair of three-pointers by Brandyn Curry and continued relentlessly. The Crimson grabbed almost every loose ball, kept hands in Michigan State’s flustered faces. Steve Moundou-Missi, the 6-foot-7 forward who was supposed to contain Michigan State’s 6-10 power player, Adreian Payne, simply outplayed him.

About 90 seconds later, Rivard hit his three to put Harvard ahead 62-60.

“You look down the other end, and I’ve got a good friend that’s down there,” said Izzo, who goes back more than 20 years with Amaker. “I kept saying, ‘They’re going to come back. You better realize that.’ ”

CONNECTICUT 77, VILLANOVA 65

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Shabazz Napier scored 25 points in leading Connecticut (28-8) to a victory over second-seeded Villanova (29-5) in the third round of the NCAA tournament.

Villanova became the highest seed to be knocked out of the tournament so far, and the Wildcats’ loss came on the heels of another upset in Buffalo. The game was played immediately after Dayton, the South Region’s 11th seed, beat third-seeded Syracuse 55-53.