Full steam ahead

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - If there was any doubt that Ibrahim Jaaber and Mark Zoller could coexist and maintain their level of play, consider Penn's 79-58 victory over Navy as testament to the contrary. This team is certainly big enough for both of them.

While Zoller had set a career-high in points in consecutive games, Jaaber, the reigning Ivy Player of the Year, proved against the Midshipmen that the lightning-quick steal machine of last year is still around.

The guard notched a season high with seven steals and forced Navy to look over its shoulder the entire game. Jaaber caught the Middies off guard by picking their pockets and scoring after inbounds passes under the Penn basket not once, but twice.

"I kind of felt the point guard being a little tentative with the ball," Jaaber said of Navy's Corey Johnson. "It just worked out that way."

Meanwhile, Zoller did exactly what he has done the past few games: find ways to get it in the hoop from all over floor. Zoller connected on 6-12 shots overall and 2-4 from deep on the way to 16 points.

But unlike in Penn's loss against Villanova, this time he had a little help.

Zoller was a part of an even-keeled attack that took advantage of Navy's inexperienced starting core that included two freshmen and a sophomore.

All of Penn's starters scored in double digits, including a team-high 18 from Jaaber - 12 of which came from downtown - and 15 from forward Steve Danley, who was able to overcome some early struggles and take advantage of his free throw opportunities, making 11 of 16 from the line.

"I was happy the way we executed offensively in the first half," Penn coach Glen Miller said.

And for one of the first times this season, the Quakers were able to match their offensive effort with a staunch defensive performance.

Penn had 13 thefts and stymied Navy's perimeter attack with a mix of man and 2-3 zone defenses.

"We had their three-point shooters under control," Miller said. "We did a good job."

While the Middies were able to go on a few runs - they pulled within five with four minutes to go in the first half - they could not go inside when they had to. They were held to just 38.5 percent shooting in the first half and only got to the foul line eight times compared to Penn's 34.

For one stretch in the second half, the Quakers were able to make just two field goals in over 13 minutes, including a seven-minute drought. But Penn also hit at an 82.6 percent clip from the charity stripe after halftime.

Even though the Red and Blue had the game in hand for most of the way, Navy's sporadic streaks likely put a scare into the few Penn faithful in attendance - especially the history buffs.

If the Middies were going to pull off any upset this season, it would have been yesterday, the 65th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. According to Miller, Navy officials were adamant about scheduling the game on this particular date.

But Navy coach Billy Lange doesn't see the significance.

"Didn't Navy get bombed on Pearl Harbor day?" Lange said. "Everybody keeps talking about that. It wasn't a great day."

On this day more than six decades later, however, it was the Quakers who used their tradition to give them a boost.

Just like it has been accustomed to doing in the past, Penn stuck with its starters for nearly the whole game. One pleasant surprise in this limited rotation was guard Michael Kach, who started his first game of the season in place of Tommy McMahon, whose back spasms prevented him from making the trip.

Kach scored 12 points (going 5-for-6 on free throws), made all three of his field goals, and was a defensive presence to boot.

And on his career night, Kach knew how he fit in with Penn's philosophy, an awareness that paid off for the Quakers.

"Personally, I knew my role," Kach said. "We have enough scorers on this team, I just wanted to do the little things."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.