BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Darren Payen scored 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting, Kurt Steidl added 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and Vermont beat Harvard 82-71 on Monday night.

Payen, a fifth-year senior, was a point shy of his career high, set Dec. 1, 2012, when he was a freshman at Hofstra. He has 38 points in the last two games after scoring 42 in Vermont's first 13 games this season.

Steidl hit a 3 and then a jumper to spark a 21-5 run that gave the Catamounts (10-5) a 57-47 lead with 10:48 to play. Payen scored eight points during that stretch and Vermont led the rest of the way.

Justin Bassey's 3-pointer pulled Harvard (6-5) within five points with four minutes left, but Payen hit 5 of 6 free throws as Vermont scored 11 of the next 13 to make it 70-65 with 32 seconds remaining.

Chris Lewis and Bryce Aiken had 16 points apiece for Harvard, which had won five in a row.