"With Tarik back, we are much quicker, and we get better shots," Rullman said.
And even as the Crimson earns higher percentage shots, it is improving on the boards:
Rullman averages 8.0 rebounds per game, Llopis 5.4, and Carter 4.8--all numbers higher than last year's totals.
So what are the team's problems? As with any 2-3 team, there are several, but one stands out as the unanimous choice of players and coaches alike: turnovers.
"Our turnovers are still bad, no doubt. We've worked on getting them down this season, but they're still high," White said.
Actually, according to Assistant Coach Kevin O'Brien, the fact that the team recognizes its problems is a good sign going into Ivy League play.
"The players were a little upset with themselves after Lehigh. Even though we won, they felt, and I agreed, that we could have done better. The fact that they're thinking that, though, means that we're in good shape," O'Brien said.
Harvard fans, like the parents of teenage drivers, can only hope that the kids don't crash on the road.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
In truth, this edition of the Crimson looks a lot better than the last--and the word is getting around.
Opposing coaches and players suggested it in the first couple of games--when Harvard lost to superior teams from Holy Cross and Boston College--and those suggestions grew in number and in volume when the Crimson won two of their three games last week.
"They're definitely making strides," Fairfield Coach Paul Cormier said. "[Harvard Coach] Frank [Sullivan]'s doing a good job with his kids." The Harvard players feel pretty good about themselves, too.
"We played a good game against Fairfield, even though we lost, and then we picked up the win against Lehigh, so I think we're feeling pretty good," freshman guard Mike Gilmore said. MEN'S BASKETBALL: IVY LEAGUE STANDINGS
Team Conf. Overall Home Away Streak Penn 0-0 3-1 1-1 2-0 Won 3 Columbia 0-0 4-2 4-1 0-1 Won 1 Princeton 0-0 4-2 1-0 3-2 Lost 1 Cornell 0-0 2-1 2-0 0-1 Won 2 Dartmouth 0-0 1-1 1-0 0-1 Won 1 Harvard 0-0 2-3 2-2 0-1 Won 1 Brown 0-0 1-3 0-1 1-2 Won 1 Yale 0-0 1-4 1-2 0-2 Lost 3 STATISTICAL SCORING LEADERS
League Overall
Player/School GP Pts Avg GP< Tab>Pts Avg Rullman, Harvard 0 0 0.0 5 123 24.6 Jenkins, Columbia 0 0 0.0 6 119 19. 8 Palmer, Dartmouth 0 0 0.0 2 36 18. 0 Pierce, Penn 0 0 0.0 4 68 17.0 Maloney, Penn 0 0 0.0 4 65 16.3 Gaca, Cornell 0 0 0.0 3 49 16.3 Allen, Penn 0 0 0.0 4 64 16.0 STATISTICAL REBOUNDING LEADERS
League Overall
Player/School GP Reb Avg GP< Tab>Reb Avg Palmer, Dartmouth 0 0 0.0 2 25 12. 5 Moore, Penn 0 0 0.0 4 35 8.8 Marshall, Cornell 0 0 0.0 3 25 8.3 Rullman, Harvard 0 0 0.0 5 40 8.0 Treadwell, Cornell 0 0 0.0 3 21 7.0 Allen, Penn 0 0 0.0 4 26 6.5 Pierce, Penn 0 0 0.0 4 25 6.3