The Harvard Crimson Men’s and Women’s basketball teams will play on World Basketball Day. Harvard is mostly known as a top-tier law school, but it also has two very talented basketball programs. The Women’s team will start at 11:00 a.m. Central against the Boston University Terriers. The Men’s team will follow this game at 2:00 p.m. Central against the Furman Paladins. Both games will be played at Lavietes Pavilion in Allston, Massachusetts.
The history behind World Basketball Day
In 2023, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed December 21 “World Basketball Day.” On this day in 1891, basketball was played for the first time at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. That’s where Dr. James Naismith first developed the game to keep his young students active. “World Basketball Day celebrates the impact of basketball and the game’s unique ability to unite a global community,” said John Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
“Let us not forget the day (December 21st) also marks the birth date of basketball, invented by James Naismith in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts at the YMCA International Training Academy. His modest invention has become a worldwide phenomenon that is unparalleled in sport!”
What to look for in the Lady Crimson game vs Boston University
The Harvard Lady Crimson come into this game with an impressive 10-1 record and sit atop the Ivy League Conference. Their last loss came in early November on the road to the Quinnipiac Bobcats. The most impressive thing is they got 3 votes in the Associated Press Women’s College poll. The Crimson are anchored by leading scorer Harmoni Turner 21.4 PPG and Elena Rodrigues who averages 12.1 PPG.
Boston University Terriers come in at 5-4 overall and are tied for 6th place in the Patriot League. Winners in their last 2 road games, the Terriers have played in some close games. The Terrier’s last 6 out of 7 games have been decided by single digits. The Terriers are led by senior guard Alex Giannaros averaging 15 PPG. Also, freshman phenom Allison Schwertner, who won her 3rd Rookie of the Week award chips in with 9.9 PPG and 6.1 REB.
Harvard Crimson vs Furman: Key players and news
Harvard is 3-7 overall, in last place respectively in the Ivy League. First-year guard Robert Hinton is leading the charge for the Crimson averaging 16.0 PPG and 4.8 REB. He received Rookie of the Week honors for the third time in the season’s first five weeks. Junior guard Chandler Pigge leads the Ivy League in rebounding at 7.7 REB per game and is third in the Conference for steals at 1.5 per game. The Crimson will look to win their second game in a row.
The Furman Paladins are hot right now with a 10-1 record. Their one loss was to #1 ranked Kansas. The Paladins are coached by fan favorite Bob Richey. They reached the NCAA tournament for the 7th time under Richey’s term, representing the first time in 43 years. They knocked off #4 seed Virginia before losing to #5 seed San Diego State. Senior guard PJay Smith Jr is the do-it-all all type of guard who can score, pass, and defend at will.
This is only the second time these two teams will meet. The last time the Paladins took home a narrow victory with a final score of 60-59. Lavietes Pavilion is the second oldest NCAA College Basketball arena in the United States and has 1,636 seats. If you want to get involved with World Basketball Day, you can participate in the Pass the Ball campaign on social media using #WorldBasketballDay and tagging @nba, @nbacares, and @jrnba accounts.
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