When Penn guard Amanda Kammes stepped up to defend her basket against Princeton last night, she made her presence known.
"Ball! Ball!" The call resonated throughout the Palestra, as Kammes got into defensive position. She raised her arms, waiving them madly in the player's face, completing an intimidating defensive package.
"You don't become the best defensive team in the league by sitting back on your heels," Kammes said after the game.
"I pride myself in and the rest of my teammates pride themselves in getting up in their face and letting them know who Penn is. That is the bottom line."
Kammes is not alone in her attempts to intimidate and confuse her opponents. Many of the Quakers utilize such defensive practices that work simultaneously to disrupt their rival and spark their own energy.
But does it work?
Occasionally, an overzealous Penn defender will take the concept a step too far and bang into their opponent earning a foul.
However, save these slips, the aggressive, audible, borderline-obnoxious defense has served the Quakers well, forcing turnovers, causing offensive violations or just plain confusing opponents.
Often, Penn can capitalize on their opponents' offensive mistakes. Last night, Penn dominated the turnover battle, only giving the ball up 11 times, while Princeton coughed it up 21 times. Meanwhile, the Quakers tallied 22 points off the Tigers' mistakes.
But the echo of the call resounds beyond the scoreboard.
If nothing else, such an overt and outspoken defensive tactic can improve the spirits of the defenders themselves, riling the energies of a hurting bench and court.
Though Penn landed on top of its Orange and Black opponents last night, the Quakers trailed multiple times throughout the 40 minutes of play. Most notably, the Red and Blue had to overcome a nine-point deficit with just over 10 minutes remaining in the second half.
Unfortunately for Princeton, the numbers didn't stop the defense or the aggression. An impressive offensive campaign produced a nine-point run that brought the rivals even at 38.
Just as importantly, Penn's bold and sturdy defense refused to flinch.
"We just need to take pride in our defense," senior Karen Habrukowich said. "That was our main focus today. Over the weekend, we did have some defensive lapses so we are all about being in their face and getting up on them."
Just as their assertive defense led them through rough patches en route to a 58-50 victory over Princeton, it has and will continue to help the Quakers overcome challenges in the remainder of the conference season. Ivy title or not, no player who has ever faced the audacious Penn defense will forget it.
"I think being loud is just Penn basketball through and through," senior Katie Kilker said. "We really pride ourselves in that defense and by being obnoxious and by getting in their face. We are going to frustrate them. And if we are doing that then that's our job and we are doing it right."
Penn has proven its offensive prowess in past wins over Princeton, Columbia and Yale. It has also suffered as a result of defensive inconsistencies. Each Quakers player has four more conference games to confirm her presence on the court using in-your-face tactics. In the next four games, then, the Penn squad can simultaneously assert its position as a bold, unafraid presence in the Ivy League.
Lily Katz is a freshman in the College from Scarsdale, N.Y. Her e-mail address is lnk@sas.upenn.edu.
