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2013-14 Ivy League Preview: The year of the Crimson

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All month long, CBT will be rolling out our 2013-2014 season preview. Check back throughout the day, as we’ll be posting three or four preview items every day.

To browse through the preview posts we’ve already published, click here. To see the rest of the Conference Previews we’ve published, click here. For a schedule of our previews for the month, click here.

Expectations have never been higher for an Ivy League team heading into a season. On the heels of upsetting New Mexico in the 2013 NCAA Tournament, having Kyle Casey and Brandyn Curry rejoin the program, and welcoming the highly-touted recruit Zena Edosomwan to the team, Harvard is the clear-cut favorite to win the Ivy League. Not to mention, the Crimson also return first team all-Ivy players Wesley Saunders and Siyani Chambers, and sharpshooter Laurent Rivard. It is a supremely talented roster that Tommy Amaker, now in his seventh year, has constructed.

It’s hard to see another team seriously challenging the Crimson, but if there is a challenge it will come in the form of the southernmost school in the league, Pennsylvania. After experiencing a great deal of success in 2011-12, registering 20 wins and an 11-3 league record, the Quakers regressed last year, going just 9-22. Miles Jackson-Cartwright and Tony Hicks make for a dynamite backcourt, along with freshman guard Matt Howard – who received offers from BCS schools – who will provide meaningful minutes, as well.

Harvard’s biggest rival, Yale, also figures to be a factor. James Jones, the longest tenured coach in the Ivy League, had the Bulldogs playing their best basketball of the year in the final ten games going 7-3 down the stretch. Plus, they return many of their primary pieces save for guard Austin Morgan.

One of the more intriguing teams in the league who appear to be on the upswing with Mike Martin now at the helm is Brown. Last year’s Defensive Player of the Year, Cedric Kuakumensah, is back for his sophomore season, but losing Tucker Halpern is a big blow for the Bears.

Of course, it would be foolish to think Princeton won’t be in the mix. Despite losing last year’s Player of the Year Ian Hummer, Denton Koon and T.J. Bray return for Mitch Henderson.

PRESEASON IVY LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Wesley Saunders, Harvard

Saunders (16.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.8 spg) made a tremendous jump from his freshman to sophomore season – he had to with Casey and Curry’s absence – and will continue to be a focal point on offense for the Crimson.

FOUR MORE NAMES TO KNOW


  • G Siyani Chambers, Harvard: The best point guard in the league on the best team in the league.
  • G Tony Hicks, Pennsylvania: May lead the league in scoring as a sophomore after averaging 15.3 ppg in league games last season.
  • F Shonn Miller, Cornell: Nobody fills up a box score quite like Miller who averaged nearly two steals and blocks last year.
  • F Cedric Kuakumensah, Brown: A menace on the defensive end who will only improve offensively.

ONE TWITTER FEED TO FOLLOW: @ivybball

PREDICTED FINISH

1. Harvard
2. Pennsylvania
3. Yale
4. Brown
5. Princeton
6. Columbia
7. Cornell
8. Dartmouth

Follow @KLDoyle11