W. Hoops' new margin of error is zero

To quote Frank Sinatra, the Quakers will "try to make a brand new start of it in old New York this weekend."

One week after being shellacked by both Harvard and Dartmouth, the womnen's basketball team (8-12, 3-4 Ivy) will look to rebound and regain ground in the Ivy League.

Tonight, they'll hop onto the Turnpike to take on Columbia (5-17, 1-7), before continuing to the frozen New York tundra to tip-off against the Big Red (9-12, 5-3) tomorrow in Ithaca.

And while they can't be mathematically eliminated from Ivy contention tonight, a loss to the conference's worst team would extinguish any hopes of the title.

"You never know what's going to happen in the Ivy League," senior captain Joey Rhoads said. "We come in with a mind-set that we're going to win the rest of these games, and anything can happen."

Coach Pat Knapp agreed that his team is still in it, but he said that he doesn't think about all the post-season scenarios.

"These numbers mean nothing to me," Knapp said. "It's all - excuse my French - bull crap, until we win Friday night."

Recently, the Quakers have had no trouble defeating their foes from the Big Apple. The Lions have won just two of their last 19 meetings with Penn, dating back to 1998. This season's contest was no exception, as the Quakers exploded for 80 points - the most under Knapp thus far - while cruising to an 18-point victory.

Yet the Lions might be a different team than they were a month ago. Though they entered last weekend 0-6 in Ivy play, they defeated Yale and came within three points of doing the same to Brown.

"They're probably going to switch up their defense," speculated captain Monica Naltner, who's tied with Rhoads for the team lead in scoring. "We're thinking they'll probably play a little more zone, switch it up more often. We just have to be on our toes and move the ball well."

Knapp also added that the Quakers can't underestimate the Lions.

"They're certainly a team that is continuing to fight," he said. "We have to surpass their energy . and we're going to have to take care of the ball, because they're a very, very scrappy team."

On Saturday, the Red and Blue have a fight of their own to wage.

When then they last faced the Big Red, the Quakers came out strong before blowing a 16-point lead in their most devastating loss of the season. Penn players were crying afterwards, whereas Cornell coach Dayna Smith called it the best win in her five-year tenure.

Knapp said that vindication would certainly be a "motivating factor" for his players tomorrow.

"They're not happy about how we finished the Cornell game, but what are you going to do? We have to learn from it."

In addition to their usual rebounding and transition defense drills, the Quakers practiced their perimeter defense, especially after opposing guards combined for about 100 points last weekend.

The team also worked on shooting this week, since, as Knapp said, "We were a little off the mark."

Yet to get revenge on Cornell, Knapp thinks his team will have to play not just hard, but smart as well.

"I think it will be the same kind of game," he said. "Only with fewer mistakes, I think we can prevail."

And Knapp has a good feeling for the rematch.

"I think Karma will be on our side."

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