The Penn women's basketball team released its 2004-05 schedule yesterday. Despite the loss of leading scorer Jewel Clark, the schedule leaves no doubt that the Quakers expect to play at a high level this season.
In addition to taking on their usual Ivy League and Big 5 opponents, the Red and Blue will take part in the University of Colorado Tournament over Thanksgiving weekend.
The Quakers open the tournament Nov. 26 against Colorado and will play either Maryland or LSU the following night. The Lady Tigers ended the Terps season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last year en route to the Final Four.
Penn faces seven 2004 NCAA Tournament teams in all, including home games Dec. 7 against Temple and Dec. 13 against Ohio State.
"Looking through the previous years, this may be one of the toughest schedules Penn has ever had, which is good," Penn coach Patrick Knapp said in a press release. "This schedule shows the progress of the women's program here at Penn and that in order to take the next step, we need to do so against quality opponents in and out of the conference.
"What this also does is put a premium on our postseason conditioning and preparation. The first month will tell a lot for us."
Luckily, the Red and Blue will play most of their early-season games at home, beginning with Knapp's debut, Nov. 21 against Northeastern. Two days later, Penn begins its Big 5 schedule when La Salle visits the Palestra.
But the cost of all the early games at home is a stretch of almost eight weeks without a home game. After the Quakers host Drexel Dec. 23, they will not have another home game until Feb. 4, when they meet Harvard.
This will be followed by a slew of February games. Ten of Penn's 14 league games will come in the year's shortest month.
"When you get to that point of the season, preparation will tell a lot," Knapp said. "We will have quick, swift practices, good off days and we will need to travel well."
Perhaps the Red and Blue's most important road trip will be their last of the season, when they go north to face perennial Ancient Eight powerhouses Dartmouth and Harvard March 4 and 5.
The matchup with the Crimson will be Penn's regular season finale, and the game may determine whether the Quakers go to the NCAA Tournament. Harvard and Penn have combined to win the last four Ivy League championships.
So Jewel Clark or no Jewel Clark, the Penn women's basketball team is set up for a challenging and action-packed first season under Patrick Knapp.
