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Harvard opens Ivy League action with win over Dartmouth

Jan 7, 2012 - 9:48 PM Cambridge, MA (Sports Network) - Oliver McNally scored 17 points to lead No. 22 Harvard to a 63-47 win over Dartmouth in the Ivy League opener for both teams.

Kyle Casey and Keith Wright chipped in with 10 points apiece and Laurent Rivard had nine points for the Crimson (13-2, 1-0 Ivy), winners in five of their last six.

Gabas Maldunas led the Big Green (3-13, 0-1) with 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Jabari Trotter and John Golden each added seven points for Dartmouth, which has dropped six in a row.

Harvard went up 20-11 when Casey knocked down a free throw with 7:21 to play in the first half, but Dartmouth was able to pull within one at 23-22 after outscoring the Crimson 11-3 over the final seven minutes of the half.

The momentum shifted in the Big Green's favor when Trotter knocked down a trey at the 6:11 mark before back-to-back baskets from Matt LaBove and Tyler Melville. Kirk Crecco's jumper with 18 seconds left cut the deficit to one as the teams went to the locker room.

The Big Green went up 34-27 in the second half after a 12-5 run. Back-to-back threes from Golden put Dartmouth up 28-27 and three straight baskets from Maldunas gave it a seven-point edge. But a 20-point burst from Harvard, sparked by a Wright jumper and a McNally three, put the Crimson ahead again, 50-40, with just under eight minutes to play.

It was as close as Dartmouth came the rest of the game as it fell behind by 17, 60-43, with just under 1 1/2 minutes left.

Harvard finished the game shooting 49 percent, and had nine total steals.

Dartmouth shot a dismal 21 percent from beyond the arc, making just 3-of-14 attempts.

Game Notes

Harvard is a perfect 5-0 at home this season...The Crimson have won the last five meetings between the two schools, but the Big Green hold a 94-79 advantage all-time.