There’s an old saying that goes something like, “You have to learn how to lose before you know how to win.”

Sometimes I find that saying to be a cheap cop-out, but in the case of the men’s basketball team, I’m starting to think that it might have some merit. They say the “numbers never lie,” and if we’re talking purely statistically, then the Lions have undoubtedly been one of the top Ivy teams this season. But the numbers that really don’t lie are the W’s and L’s, and right now those are not in the Lions’ favor.

With losses to Princeton and Penn over the weekend, the Lions are now sixth in the Ivy League with an Ivy record of 3-7. With just four games left to play, the Ivy crown for this team has fallen out of reach. That said, the Lions still have plenty to play for in these next four games. Follow the jump for some analysis of what happened the last few days, and what’s ahead for the Lions.

1. Sometimes you just can’t keep up—Tigers 77 – Lions 66

Last month when Princeton came into town, the Lions kept up with the Tigers in the first half, but then had trouble in the second. A very similar phenomenon happened Friday—the Lions just couldn’t keep up with the Tigers’ attack as they began to pull away with about 11 minutes left to go in the game.

The take-away points from this one? Well, this game is one that may have been coming for a while, but it was the first time the Lions lost to an Ivy opponent by more than five points this season. That shows just how much the Lions have been able to compete and keep games close right up until the very end. But in this one, they just didn’t have much of a scoring attack besides junior guard Brian Barbour. He had 22 points, but the only other starter who made double digits was senior forward Blaise Staab with 12—and he was in the starting lineup for the first time since November.

Best thing to do after a loss like that? Put it right behind you—especially because you’ve got another game the next day. Unfortunately…

2. Another one slips away late—Quakers 61 – Lions 59

Things have not gone well between the Lions and Saturday games for the past couple weeks. Granted, this game didn’t have the same crash-and-burn feel like blowing a 21 point lead, but it still stings. For those of you who haven’t seen it, this is how the Lions lost on Saturday night.

Call it what you want—a defensive breakdown, a lucky break for the Quakers, a shot that should’ve been called off because of an illegal screen—but the result is still the same.

But as I always say, a game is never won or lost on one singular play. (Yes, that did rhyme.)

One of the keys to this game is that Penn completely shut down Brian Barbour, as he had just six points—four of them from the free throw line. In January’s Lions/Quakers game, Barbour had 25 points, so this time I guess Penn used this line from Caddyshack.

When it comes down to it, though, it’s the same song and dance that the Lions have been doing for almost all of their Ivy losses. They had their opportunities, but in crunch time they just couldn’t get it done.

3. Just win, baby

That’s what former Raiders owner Al Davis used to say, and at this point it definitely applies well to what the Lions need to do. Obviously 3-7 in Ivy play is not where they want to be—especially considering that six of those seven Ivy losses were lost by five points or less. But at this point, there’s no sense in making excuses—it’s time for results.

Are there reasons to be encouraged for the future of this team? Absolutely. But if they want to improve on the Ivy record they had last year (6-8), they’ll have to win the rest of their contests to have a final record of 7-7. With games against Yale and Harvard coming up in the next two weeks, that might be a tall order. But with Brown up first (a team who the Lions demolished last week without the Bears’ sophomore star, Sean McGonagill), the Lions could definitely get started off on the right foot this Friday night in Providence.