Harvard basketball shocks New Mexico in 2013 NCAA tournament upset

The Crimson shocks New Mexico in NCAA tournament upset, loses in 2nd round.

Photograph by Jim Urquhart/Reuters/Corbis Images

Photograph by Jim Urquhart/Reuters/Corbis Images

Scoring the biggest win in the history of the Harvard men’s basketball program, the Crimson upset powerful New Mexico—whom some had picked to reach the Final Four—68-62, to record Harvard’s first win in an NCAA basketball tournament and first against a top-10 opponent. Here, sophomore guard Wesley Saunders, who led the Ivies by averaging 16.5 points per game, gets past seven-foot New Mexico center Alex Kirk. Harvard finished atop the Ivy League for the third consecutive year. After Harvard defeated New Mexico, Arizona easily handled a cold-shooting Crimson squad, 74-51, in the next round. But with only one senior leaving, Harvard’s hoopsters may come back even stronger next year.

Related topics

You might also like

How Women Are Changing the NBA

From coaching staffs to front offices, female leaders are bringing new strategies to men’s basketball.

How a Harvard Hockey Legend Became a Needlepoint Artist

Joe Bertagna’s retirement project recreates figures from Boston sports history.

Harvard Students, Alumni to Compete at the 2026 Olympics

Six Crimson athletes are headed to the XXV Winter Games in Milano Cortina. 

Most popular

The Franklin Stove—A Historical Climate Change Adaptation

Historian Joyce E. Chaplin reinterprets an early era of invention, industrialization, and climate challenge

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

Katie Benzan stands on a basketball court holding a ball, with a hoop in the background.

How Women Are Changing the NBA

From coaching staffs to front offices, female leaders are bringing new strategies to men’s basketball.

Colorful illustrated map of Colonial Cambridge and the Harvard College campus featuring buildings of the campus, houses, Cambridge Common, and the Charles River

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history

Historical scene depicting a parade with soldiers and a town square in the background.

When the Revolution Hit Cambridge, Harvard Moved to Concord

College students broke hearts and windows during their year in exile.