WOMEN'S HOOPS NOTEBOOK: Banks nears record

The Penn women's basketball team was accustomed to playing the role of underdog. After five wins in a row, they were taken out of it. The Quakers rode the dark horse of upsets as far as they could, only to be thrown off at Harvard and Dartmouth. "It was a really long weekend," senior forward Shelly Dieterle said. "We had a lot of focus and preparation going into the games." With four games remaining and the Ivy title out of reach, the Quakers (8-15, 5-5 Ivy League) are reevaluating their priorities. "It was nice to be in the running," co-captain Katina Banks said. Banks had eight steals against Harvard and Dartmouth. She needs only four steals in the final four games of the season to reach the Penn career record of 205. "It's a bit of maturity, knowing what has to be done," Banks said. "I know what to expect and what to look for when we're out on the floor. I'm just trying to be a leader for the team and show good discipline. Sometimes I think I fall short." Consistency has not been a strength for the Quakers. Their season thus far has been a roller coaster. After injuries and losses combined for a slow start, the Red and Blue made an upward climb to their record-tying five-game winning streak, and then returned to reality. Penn has now lost three of its last four games. The Quakers' only victory during that stretch came against 0-22 Columbia. Victories in the final four games would leave the Quakers in third place. That would be the best overall Ivy finish of the seniors' careers.