It was supposed to be a winnable game for the Quakers as they traveled to Poughkeepsie, New York to face Marist on Sunday. However, with sophomore center Darien Nelson-Henry out with a concussion, Penn lost 76-62, extending their losing streak to four games. Here’s the Good, the Bad & the Ugly:
The Good: Marist’s Season Turnaround
Quite frankly, nothing went well for Penn on Sunday. The Quakers were outdone as a team in just about every facet of the game by a team that entered the day at a meager 2-8. Penn failed to even produce a single double-digit scorer.
Freshman guard Tony Bagtas was a bright spot, but this post is not called “The Reasonable, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Meanwhile, Marist, which started the season 0-9, has won three straight games to turn their season around. Penn should take notes.
The Bad: Penn’s Rebounding
Going into Sunday’s game, Penn was faced with the absence of sophomore Darien Nelson-Henry. This left a big hole not only in the scoring department, but also in the rebounding department.
Penn was out-worked, out-hustled and, ultimately, out-done on the boards by the Marist Red Foxes, as Marist grabbed 15 more total rebounds than the Quakers and more than doubled them up on the offensive boards.
The Ugly: The First Half
The first half started off innocently enough, with the two teams going back and forth for the first five or so minutes. And then, the wheels fell off for the Quakers.
Marist outworked the Quakers on defense and on the boards, leading to miscommunications and breakdowns by the Quakers defense. Marist hit 62 percent of its three-pointers and outdid the Quakers on the offensive boards, leaving the court with a 23-point lead at halftime. It wasn’t easy on the eyes.
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