STORRS, Conn. (AP) -- Tommy Amaker had coached teams that were ranked in the Top 25 before. Just not at Harvard.
The Crimson's first game ever as a ranked team didn't end the way they wanted but they gave a more-than-solid effort in a 67-53 loss to No. 9 Connecticut on Thursday night.
"I thought it got away from us for a bit but we certainly fought to get back into position, put some game pressure on them," said Amaker, who also coached at Seton Hall and Michigan. "But our kids have been able to handle things thus far in a very, very admirable way."
The Crimson burst onto the national scene this season with a win over then-No. 24 Florida State in the Battle 4 Atlantis, a tournament Harvard went on to win by beating Central Florida, which had beaten Connecticut in the semifinals.
They became the first Ivy League team to reach the Top 25 since Princeton in 1998. Harvard was trying for its first 9-0 start to a season since winning the first 10 in 04-05, 1904-05. The last Ivy League team to start 9-0 was Columbia in 1969-70.
The perfect start may be over but Harvard still has some big ideas about the season.
"We could have played better. We didn't play the way we have been in the season," forward Keith Wright said. "We're definitely confident still. This doesn't kill our confidence."
The game was far from a blowout but one that showed the difference in the talent level of the two teams.
"The first 12 minutes we played poorly then we turned up the defense and the last 5 minutes of the first half we let them back in," Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun said. "In the second half we started to show better and better. Defensively we dominated them."
Jeremy Lamb had 18 points and Andre Drummond added 12 on 6-for-7 shooting for Connecticut.
"They're very talented, very big," Amaker said. "We didn't get much of anything easy around the basket which is probably going to happen to a lot of teams when they face this basketball team with their size and athleticism."
The Huskies (8-1) appeared ready to pull away twice, once in the first half when they went up nine points and again in the second when they went up by 16. But Harvard got back in the game by using its crisp passing attack and some solid work underneath.
"They're very good because they are mentally tough," Calhoun said of Harvard. "They run their stuff as well anybody in the country."
Kyle Casey had 12 points to lead the Crimson (8-1).
Top 25
West Virginia 85, Kansas State 80
WICHITA, Kan. -- Kevin Jones scored 30 points, including a tying three-point shot in regulation, to lead West Virginia to an 85-80 victory over Kansas State.
Darryl Bryant added 25 points for West Virginia (5-2).
Rodney McGruder scored 20 and Will Spradling had 16 for Kansas State (5-1).
MAC
Drake 66, E. Michigan 53
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Ben Simons scored 16 points as Drake rallied in the second half to overtake Eastern Michigan, 66-53.
Jordan Clarke added 13 and Jeremy Jeffers 11 for the Bulldogs (6-3), who outscored Eastern Michigan 42-26 after halftime to win their second in a row and ninth straight at home dating to last season.
Darrell Lampley's 20 points led the Eagles (4-5), who dropped their fourth consecutive game. Derek Thompson contributed 18.
Detroit 92, W. Michigan 81
DETROIT -- Eli Holman scored 21 points and Chase Simon 20 to pace Detroit to a 92-81 victory over Western Michigan.
Ray McCallum had 14 points and six assists for the Titans (5-6), who won their second in a row. Jason Calliste added 12 points.
The Broncos (1-7) got 33 points from Mike Douglas, including 13 of 14 free throws. Demetrius Ward scored 19, Nate Hutcheson 11 and Flenard Whitfield 10.
Ohio College
Cleveland St. 62, Rob. Morris 58
CORAOPOLIS, Pa. Trevon Harmon tied his career high with 24 points, helping Cleveland State rally to overtake Robert Morris and then hold on for a 62-58 win.
Harmon scored all 10 points for the Vikings (9-1) in the final 3:04 of the first half, including a 30-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer, for a 27-24 halftime lead.
Velton Jones and Coron Williams scored 18 apiece to lead Robert Morris (7-3).
Other
Notre Dame 87, Maine 78
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Jack Cooley scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half to help Notre Dame defeat Maine, 87-78.
Eric Atkins led the Fighting Irish (6-4) with 26 points and six assists. Cooley had 14 rebounds.
Gerald McLemore led the Black Bears (3-3) with 27 points. Justin Edwards added 20 points and Alasdair Fraser 17.
Women
Wis.-Green Bay 72, Toledo 65
TOLEDO -- Lydia Bauer hit five 3-pointers and scored 23 points, sending No. 21 Wisconsin-Green Bay to a 72-65 victory over Toledo.
Julie Wojta added 17 points, including the final basket in a 12-0 run that broke the game open early in the second half. It was the second time this season that Green Bay (8-0) beat Toledo, the reigning WNIT champions.
Sarah Eichler made four 3s and scored 14 points for the Phoenix.
Andola Dortch had 18 points for Toledo (5-3), including 11 at the free throw line. The Rockets had their 22-game home winning streak snapped.
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