Harvard basketball, 2011-12: Best Ivy League team ever?

 

I covered a bit in my column today how Harvard is shaping up to be the overwhelming favorite in the Ivy League this season. In a story on ESPN.com (warning: Insiders only!), John Gasaway took my angle several steps further, suggesting the following:

  • A 28-2 record is not an unreasonable expectation, with the only losses coming in upcoming games at Vermont and UConn
  • "A 26-4 finish for [Tommy] Amaker's team would be well within the range of expectation"
  • Harvard appears on track to "smash through" the previous Ivy League high in Ken Pomeroy's national rankings (No. 52, set by Cornell in 2010). It currently ranks No. 30, ahead of teams like Temple, Memphis, Texas and Vanderbilt.
Any Buzz readers who are Ivy League hoops historians: How do you feel about these statements? Are the Crimson really better than Penn's 1979 Final Four team? Gasaway never suggested that, but I don't think enough thought was put into the headline, "Best Ivy ever?" Maybe best in the last 30 years? 20 years?

The main takeaway is that the Crimson national bandwagon is gaining major, major steam after their performance in the Bahamas. And as I wrote today, this is no ordinary Ivy team -- size-wise, talent-wise and depth-wise, Harvard is built like a high-major team. That said, can we please gather a bigger sample size before concluding that 26-4 should be expected?

As Penn coach Jerome Allen said of Pitt: "Obviously, they have some natural advantages over us as far as height, strength and jumping ability. But you've got to play the game. They put their shorts on one leg at a time"

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