Penn guards Ibby Jaaber and Eric Osmundson had their sights set on trying to contain Quinnipiac's speedy 5-foot-10 guard Rob Monroe, a player known for his ability to score and create opportunities for his teammates.
The duo did its job -- smothering the Bobcats' leader and holding him to just two-of-nine from the floor in the first half -- as the Quakers rolled over Quinnipiac, 74-60, in the first round of the Preseason NIT.
"They really defended our kid Monroe," Quinnipiac coach Joe DeSantis said. "They made it hard for him, and I think that was the difference in the game."
The Penn big men set the tone for the game, as senior Jan Fikiel drew a foul and hit the first of two free throws to bring the Quakers (1-0) within one of the Bobcats (0-1). Penn forward Steve Danley gathered up the rebound of the second free throw. The sophomore got the ball back, made a drop step to his right and put in a layup to give the Quakers a 7-6 lead -- they would not trail again.
Penn senior Tim Begley got his first points of the young season on the next possession, grabbing a long rebound and making a pass to Jaaber, who returned the ball to Begley. The captain pulled up and hit a three, which set into motion a 22-3 Penn run.
Fikiel was called for his second foul on the ensuing possession, and he was forced to sit on the bench the rest of the first half. The Quakers' elder statesman in the frontcourt logged just 13 minutes of playing time for the game.
"Yeah, I'm worried about it," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said of Fikiel's foul trouble. "Luckily we have a four-man rotation that we can go to up front that will at least put us in good shape if we do get in foul trouble."
Sophomores Ryan Pettinella and Mark Zoller played well as they rotated through the two forward positions with Danley. Penn outmuscled and outhustled the Bobcats all over the floor during the remainder of the first half, holding Quinnipiac to a measly 22.6 shooting percentage. The Bobcats did have some open looks at the basket, but their shots refused to fall.
Penn "played with a lot of passion in the first half," DeSantis said. "But we're better than a 22 percent shooting team."
Penn freshman Michael Kach, who teammate Begley dubbed as the best dunker in the city, was stuffed by the rim on a breakaway halfway through the first frame. Fortunately, Zoller was there to pick up the rebound and slam it home. However, the rookie point guard did manage to contribute six points and a steal in his Quakers debut.
"He can really jump, too," Dunphy said. "It's a shame for him, but it's really a great learning experience for him."
All was well for Penn as it headed into the locker room at halftime with a 21-point lead. But when the Quakers returned in the second half, they seemed lackadaisical.
The Bobcats outscored the Quakers 38-31 in the second half and, although the game was never close, it became obvious that the Red and Blue still need a lot of work before taking on Providence in Rhode Island tomorrow -- the Friars beat Niagara 83-78 last night to advance to the second round of the Preseason NIT along with Penn.
"The last 15 [minutes], we acted like it was the first game," Dunphy said. "We acted like we were not as focused as we needed to be."
Notes: Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and University President Amy Gutmann were on hand for Penn's season opener.
With the win, Penn remains undefeated against teams from the Northeast Conference. The Quakers are now 9-0 against NEC teams.
The game was played using rules that the NCAA is experimenting with during all preseason tournaments. The three-point line was extended nine inches to 20 feet, six inches. The lane was also widened a foot and a half on each side, and a charge circle, similar to that used in the NBA, was added two feet from the center of the basket.Ticket info for the Penn-Providence gameThe game will be played in the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, R.I., tomorrow night. Due to the short turnaround time involved with the NIT, Providence will take phone orders and place all tickets in Will Call. You can call the Providence Ticket Office directly to place your order at (401) 865-4672. Tickets are $15.
