W. Hoops | Boxed out by the Big East

The last time Carrie Biemer scored fewer than 10 points in a game was Jan. 15, 2008, in a 67-50 loss at Seton Hall.

As fate would have it, Biemer's 27-game double-digit scoring streak was snapped yesterday by that same Seton Hall squad, as the senior captain was held to nine points and zero rebounds.

Not surprisingly, the team fared even worse than last year, as Seton Hall coasted to a 76-49 victory at the Palestra.

It was an unusual stat line for Biemer, who is rarely a distributor in the Quakers offense - she had compiled only six assists in 14 games before playing the Pirates - but had three assists in the first half last night.

"They're all just bigger and more athletic, and I didn't play very well all-around," Biemer said. "We were a little helter-skelter on offense."

It was the other facets of the game, however, that had coach Pat Knapp most frustrated, as he questioned his team's effort on rebounding and defense.

"These are things we preach and talk about all the time," Knapp said. "I don't care if Seton Hall is in the Big East or the NBA; get out there, play with focus, play with purpose, play with heart."

Led by 15 points from senior Noteisha Womack, one of four Pirates to score in double-figures, Seton Hall executed on offense with an efficient 17-to-8 assist-to-turnover ratio and 14 offensive rebounds.

Penn was led by the inside presence of sophomore forward Jerin Smith, who corralled a team-high six rebounds and scored a career-high 12 points, but no other Quakers scored in double-figures.

The Red and Blue had 13 days off to prepare for Seton Hall, but Biemer said she did not think the layoff had a negative impact.

"We've had some really good practices intensity-wise," she said. "I don't think we were rusty."

Sarah Bucar missed her fifth consecutive game - all Penn losses - with a foot injury, and Knapp said that sophomore Erin Power and senior Anca Popovici were two of the few players who played hard and stayed focused in an attempt to replace her production.

Knapp was also upset with Penn's apparent mentality that the season begins on Feb. 1 when Ivy League games begin in full swing.

"What we don't want to be here is ordinary - that we just show up, and when the uniform says a different league, we're supposed to lose," he said. "That's not my makeup. I hate that. So we do everything we can to get these kids ready to pull the upset, get the big win, put in the great effort."

In order to avoid another clunker in this weekend's crucial Ivy showdowns, Knapp implored his team to "put it out on the floor."

"Personally, I'm embarrassed by this effort, and I'm sure our team is embarrassed by this effort," he said. "I have no idea how this effort gets us ready for Harvard and Dartmouth, but I'll tell you something: We're going to bust our butts the next three days to get ready."

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