The Quakers had one of the worst seasons in the history of Penn women's basketball last season, winning only five games. What little success they had, however, can largely be attributed to one player: Joey Rhoads.
She sat on the bench for only 53 minutes of the 27-game season. The rest of the time, she was Penn's primary - and oftentimes, only - offensive weapon. Her 371 points accounted for one-fourth of Penn's total production, and one-third of the team's assists came out of her hands.
Still, Rhoads was inconsistent at times, and when she struggled to find the net, the Quakers suffered some of their worst losses of a dismal season.
But nobody is concerned about Rhoads. The real question entering this season is who else can step up and give her some much-needed support.
Coach Pat Knapp said that he is more concerned about other aspects of the Quakers' game.
"That's one thing I've said with this team from the get-go: They are unselfish, and they can shoot," he said. "I think we can score."
The reality, however, is that Penn cannot get away with a one-player offense. Most of the personalities are returning from last year, in which the Quakers managed only 56 points per game.
One of the most notable differences with this year's lineup is the presence of Lauren Pears. The senior guard started the first eight games last year and played well, before tearing her anterior cruciate ligament and missing the remainder of the season. Now she is healthy and ready to produce.
The guards' ability to move the ball will be a crucial determinant of whether Penn can rebound from its woeful season. Last year, the Quakers were unable to pass quickly and penetrate opposing defenses. This problem was never more apparent than in the low point of the season, a 78-34 whooping at the hands of Delaware. In that contest, the Quakers could not get through the Blue Hens' trap and turned the ball over 33 times.
While that loss was especially brutal, the Quakers' offensive problems were hardly limited to that one occasion. They were dead last in the Ivy League in assists by a significant margin, and also featured the worse turnover differential in the conference.
Even if the Quakers do manage to get the ball inside, it remains to be seen what they will be able to do with it. Jen Fleischer, Penn's 6-foot-3 center, graduated and is now playing in Israel. That leaves the Quakers with a big void to fill.
Knapp highlighted three players - Maggie Burgess, Ashley Gray and Katarina Lackner - and said he needs one of them to step up. Gray, at 5-11, is the only player of the group under 6-foot, as well as the only senior; the other two are sophomores.
That could be part of a larger theme for the Quakers this year. Although the four seniors will log a significant number of minutes, the underclassmen will still figure into the offense. Down the stretch last year, the Quakers' record did not improve much. However, there was a bright spot.
"We played better, and our younger players got experience," Knapp said. "We're hoping that benefits us."
Throughout the offseason and the preseason, Knapp has stressed his team's experience, positive attitude, work ethic and leadership. Those are all admirable qualities, but they may be for naught if the Quakers can't put points on the board.
