When word of Old Dominion's win over Georgetown went across the sports wires Saturday, Tommy Amaker must have been thinking he was four days late. Because if the Crimson could sneak up on an overconfident Georgetown team, ODU's win certainly brought the Hoyas and their fans back to earth and sets up a difficult challenge for a Harvard team enjoying its best season in a generation, and perhaps even longer.

Mention the words "Harvard basketball" and one is likely to get some of the same stares usually associated with "Georgetown football". Despite nearly a century of competition, the Crimson cagers have languished in obscurity, averaging 902 fans a game this season. Its last NBA player was in 1953, its last NCAA bid was in 1946. Former Michigan and Seton Hall coach Tommy Amaker has revitalized this team and its program, challenging conventional Ivy wisdom that the Cantabs can't recruited talented basketball players. Led by a 6-3 guard that might give Georgetown fans flashbacks of Davidson's Stephen Curry, Jeremy Lin will be front and center at Verizon Center.

Lin has been a scoring machine for Harvard this season, with season highs of 30 on Connecticut and 25 against Boston College, almost all of it from two point range. Like Curry, he will challenge with the jump shot and can drive as well. "I've seen a lot of teams come through here, and he could play for any of them,' said Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun. "He's got great, great composure on the court. He knows how to play.

Suffice to say that Lin can do a great deal of damage if left unprotected in this game. For the Crimson to contend further, 6-3 guard Oliver McNally must elevate his game. Averaging 8.3 per game, he was shut out against Boston College and will need a more consistent shot to draw coverage away from Lin. A Crimson line of 6-5 forward Christian Webster, 6-7 Drew Miller, and 6-8 Keith Wright can get points inside, particularly Wright. Webster, at 6.9 ppg from Landon Prep, may be a key if Harvard is to successfully leverage the outside shot, something they have struggled with much of the season.

Harvard's bench, featuring a pair of local products in freshman Spencer deMars and sophomore Max Kenyi, have outscored its opponents in all nine games this season, a big advantage against a depleted Georgetown bench that has not shown any consistent scoring this season. Still, as Lin goes, so goes the Crimson's upset chances Wednesday.

Keys to the game:

1. Chris Wright: Wright must limit turnovers, successfully contain Lin, and reassert himself offensively in this game.
2. Turnovers: Both teams are susceptible to turnovers and the degree that Georgetown can improve will make this the difference between a runaway and a nail-biter.
3. Step Right Up: Only two big men remain on the bench for GU in Henry Sims and Jerrelle Benimon. This is the last chance for one to step to the forefront before Big East play.

For Harvard to win, the Crimson follow the ODU game plan and rely on a 25+ point effort from Lin,. Georgetown cannot sleep walk through this game, because they can lose this game. As UConn and BC will tell you, Harvard is capable of playing with anyone, and if GU didn't get the message Saturday night, they will on Wednesday.