Women's Hoops looks to knock off unbeaten Villanova

Intelligent play will determine the success of the Penn women's basketball team tonight against Villanova.

"We have to really be ready to play smart," Penn coach Kelly Greenberg said. "From past experiences and what I've seen already in watching tape, Villanova may be one of the smartest teams in the country."

Villanova's smarts and athletic ability has allowed them to win their first four games of the season, including the title of last week's Coors Classic in Boulder, Colo.

The Wildcats knocked off both Ohio State and host Colorado on their way to the title.

"Any time you beat a Big 10 team and a Big 12 team you know you are doing something right," Greenberg said.

Greenberg and the Quakers will look to do something right at the Palestra tonight.

In order to pull an upset over Villanova tonight, the Red and Blue will need to control the tempo of the game.

Villanova is known for slowing down the pace of play and trying to wear out their opponents mentally.

"They always know how to set the pace of the game to be slower," Greenberg said. "They do a great job of keeping the score in the low 40s and 50s.

"When it comes down to it, we are going to have to set the tempo of the game, if we want to win."

If the Red and Blue have any chance of edging out the Wildcats tonight, they will not only need to dictate the pace of play but shut down Villanova's three offensive threats --Trish Juhline, Courtney Mix and Katie Davis.

Juhline has emerged as Villanova's clear-cut leader.

"She [Juhline] is as good as anyone on the East Coast," Greenberg said. "She can pretty much do it all. She is a great shooter and really understands the game."

A senior guard, Juhline was named co-Big East Conference Player of the Week after her performances in both the Ohio State and Colorado games.

So far this season, the 2001-02 All-Big East first team selection has scored an average of 19.8 ppg along with five assists and three rebounds per game.

In addition to shutting down Juhline, the Quakers will also have to contain Mix, a junior forward.

Mix is third on the team in scoring, averaging 10.3 ppg with 5 assists and 6.3 rebounds.

"Mix is the other key to their success," Greenberg said. "She is their blue-collar player that does a little bit of everything for them. We have to know where she is."

Davis, Villanova's third threat and a senior forward, is second on the team in scoring with 14.3 ppg. She is often overlooked by opponents and surprises many teams.

While Villanova enters tonight's game on an intimidating four-game winning streak, the Quakers will look to prove that they have what it takes to compete with the Big Five powerhouse.

"Tonight is a Big Five game against a team that is very close to cracking the Top 25," Greenberg said. "We need to bring a high level of energy and enthusiasm to the court against them."

Penn's energy will come from the play of junior guard Jewel Clark, and two sophomores -- guard Karen Habrukowich and center Katie Kilker.

Clark exploded in the second half of Penn's 81-77 victory over Drexel last week, scoring all of her 20 points in the second half of the contest.

Clark's scoring prowess has been unmatched so far this year, leading the team with 26.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.

Following Clark's leadership is the sophomore guard Habrukowich, who scored a career-high 24 points against Drexel.

Complementing Habrukowich, the Quakers maintain a strong inside presence through the play of Kilker -- Penn's second leading scorer with 18 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

The Quakers will need to maintain their composure and work to control the pace of play against a very imposing Villanova team.

"It's always a chess match against Villanova, and this year will be no different," Greenberg said. "The game is going to be a very good barometer for telling us where we are and what we need to work on to get better as a team."

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