Harvard's basketball team has bounced erratically from good to not-so-good this season, but this afternoon in the Palestra in Philadelphia it will be facing a Pennsylvania quintet that has followed just as unpredictable a course.

The two squads have almost identical records, both against nationwide competition and in the Ivy League. Each has won only five times in all this winter, but against league opponents the Crimson's one up two down scorecard is just enough to squeeze it ahead of the Quakers, who have compiled a two-five tabulation.

Almost Upset Columbia

Penn's mightiest feat was achieved last night, when it came within two points of handing Columbia its first defeat of the year.

This, plus comparative scores against four other mutual opponents, seems to point towards another of those familiar close games. But any kind of forecast seems rather hopeless these days-one team may win by 20 points.

In the Indoor Athletic Building at 8 o'clock tonight the freshman quintet, led by Ed Smith, its newly-elected high-scoring captain, will pit a ten-one record against Northeastern's yearlings.

Probable varsity lineups: HARVARD    PENN Hauptfuhrer  lf  Carlson Rockwell  rf  Heindel Prior  c  Lyon Brady  lg  Novak Gannon  rg  Harman