The Penn men’s basketball team ended 2004 on a sour note with a 74-64 loss to Villanova on New Year’s Eve at the Pavilion.
Sophomore guard Ibby Jaaber led Penn (4-4, 1-2 Big 5) with 22 points, but Villanova (7-1, 2-1) countered with a balanced scoring attack to earn the victory.
Villanova forward Curtis Sumpter scored 16 points and added 13 rebounds to lead the Wildcats, who won the game with their foul shooting. Villanova went 28-for-38 (74 percent) from the line including 18-25 in the second half. The Quakers shot only 59 percent from the line and took nine fewer attempts.
In addition to Sumpter’s double-double, the Wildcats received strong performances from guards Randy Foye, who scored 15, and Allan Ray, who added 14.
For the Quakers, Eric Osmundson’s 12 points and 10 each from Jan Fikiel and Ryan Pettinella were not enough to make up for the Wildcats’ lockdown on guard Tim Begley. Begley was held without a field goal on two attempts and earned his only two points from the free-throw line.
The Quakers, who came into the game after a 23-day layoff, will travel across the country to battle the San Francisco Dons on Jan. 4.
