Harvard arguably boasts the Ivy League's best frontcourt, but a guard has emerged to help lead the Crimson into the League schedule.
The tandem of big men Matt Stehle and Brian Cusworth has performed as expected, averaging a combined 27.5 points and 14.9 rebounds per game.
Yet junior guard Jim Goffredo has suprised many by stepping up as the team's leading scorer. He has helped Harvard endure the graduation of its starting backcourt by contributing 15.2 points per game this year.
Freshman point guard Drew Housman has also helped to ease the transition. Housman leads the team in assists with 2.9 per game.
The contributions of the new starters have helped to lead Harvard to an 8-5 non-league record.
Housman and Goffredo have been particularly important, since the seven-footer Cusworth missed the last seven games of the non-league schedule with a broken hand.
The Crimson has experienced its share of highs and lows already this year. Harvard has beaten both Holy Cross and Albany on the road, but has also lost to Central Connecticut State at home.
In its last two non-conference games, Harvard was blown out by No. 15 Boston College and Southern Methodist. It opened Ivy League play, however, with a 78-65 win over Dartmouth last week.
Tonight in Hanover, N.H., the Crimson hopes to ride the momentum of that win to complete a second sweep of the Big Green in the last three years.
If Stehle and Cusworth can remain healthy and the backcourt can continue to contribute, Harvard can challenge for their first ever Ivy League title. The Crimson hosts Penn on Feb. 11, then travels to the Palestra on Feb. 24.
Harvard coach Frank Sullivan is not sure, though, that his team's form so far this season will continue in the weeks to come.
"It's hard for [non-conference winning] to transfer because the Ivy League season is so unique," he told the Harvard Crimson. There is "massive preparation every week, understanding the magnitude of each game."
