W. Hoops looks for first Big 5 win

"To win basketball games, you have to put the ball in the basket." While Penn women's basketball coach Julie Soriero admits this may sound easy, her team has had just that problem heading into tonight's 7 p.m. Big 5 matchup against Temple at the Palestra. Both teams are 0-3 in the Big 5 with tonight's contest serving as their last chance for a City Series win. This will make the normally fierce inner-city rivalry even more heated. The Quakers (1-10) believe they just need to stick to their game plan in order to come out on top. "We have to play to our strengths," sophomore guard Erica McCauley said. "We're looking for a win and we think we can get it against them. They're probably wanting one from us too, so it's going to be a good battle. We know what we can do. We have to make them defend us instead of us worrying about them." Temple (2-10) plays a variety of defensive styles. In past games they have used some 1-3-1 and 2-3 zones and occasionally man-to-man. Penn will also face the Owls' tough full-court press. The Quakers will obviously have to work for their shots. "I think Temple will change things up," Soriero said. "I'm expecting pressure defense with the idea of forcing us into some turnovers and quick shots which might not be good shots." Mired in a shooting slump that dates to the beginning of the season, Penn is taking a new approach for this game. Offense has taken a backseat to practicing "the little things." "It's the little things that are important," senior co-captain Natasha Rezek said. "We have to keep up our intensity on defense, the way we've been playing for the past few weeks. The shots have got to fall. We have to step up and take them with confidence." "I'm worried that it will just become a self-fulfilling prophecy," Soriero said. "We haven't talked about shooting for the last couple of days, because I don't want the team to think, 'Well, we can't shoot.' We're getting good shots and doing a nice job defensively, but if you don't score, you can't win." Before the season began, depth was the key to the Penn game. The return of McCauley and freshman guard Colleen Kelly over vacation gave the Quakers several long-awaited weapons. McCauley will start at the point, allowing senior co-captain Shelly Bowers to return to her natural position of shooting guard. "The people coming back give us strengths we were lacking," Soriero said. "Erica handles the ball really well and can set our offense. She's a pure point guard. We will look to Erica for leadership out there." Penn is almost back at full strength. Kelly, who spent most of the season sidelined with mononucleosis, is now day-to-day with a sprained left ankle. Even without her, the Quakers are counting on all their guards for offensive production. In addition, they will have to stop Temple's leading scorer, freshman guard Claudrena Harold. Six-feet-2-inch center Shememe Williams leads the Owls in rebounds. Rezek and freshman center Renata Zappala must step up their play to keep her off the boards. Despite a win over Lehigh and a two-point defeat at the hands of Marist, the Quakers are frustrated with the way their season has progressed. "We're tired of losing," Rezek said. "We've just been on the brink, but never really gotten over the edge. As teams go on losing streaks, they also go on winning streaks. I think we're on the verge of the latter." Penn feels like a team on a mission. The first win is the toughest, and with that under their belts, the Quakers are looking to build and improve. Penn hopes the positive part of the season will start tonight. "We are at a crossroads right now," senior guard Katina Banks said. "We have quite a few games in a row. This is our chance to get some wins quickly. We're looking to go at every team. We need to remember every possession is important to the team. Taking care of the ball is going to be a key. We need support for good shots." "The close games give us confidence," Soriero said, "but a loss is still a loss."