NEW HAVEN, Conn., Feb. 14 - The magic surrounding Penn basketball hasn't been what it once was. But as a youthful team that has dealt with more than its fair share of struggles and setbacks, the Quakers will settle for a slightly humbler existence - one as world-class escape artists.
As has become custom, Penn and Yale grinded out an ugly battle at the John J. Lee Amphitheater, and for the second year in a row, the Red and Blue escaped with a victory - a blood-pumping 68-63 contest.
"I thought it was a gutsy win," coach Glen Miller said. "Another Ivy away weekend, to get a sweep was outstanding for our young team."
The Quakers led for the entire game, but they were in an extremely precarious position as the seconds ticked off the clock.
Nursing a two-point lead with 27 seconds left (and three ticks on the shot clock), sophomore guard Tyler Bernardini missed a three-pointer off the front of the rim. But the Yale faithful would slink back in their seats as quickly as they rose - sophomore forward Jack Eggleston batted the ball back out to freshman Zack Rosen, who hit a free throw to extend Penn's lead to three.
With one final look, the Bulldogs went to guard Alex Zampier, who missed a short jumper in the paint. After a fortunate Penn bounce, Bernardini was fouled with less than two seconds on the clock, and his two free throws would seal the game.
"It was kind of nerve-wracking," said Gaines, who led the Quakers with 19 points (14 of which came in the first half). "We kind of got lucky right there . but we got out of there all right."
Gaines had led Penn to a seven-point first-half lead with a nose for the rim and strong finishes in the lane. But after the break the Bulldogs came out incensed.
One of the more physical teams in the Ivy League, Yale was led by forward Travis Pinick (whose strong penetration netted him 15 points and three dunks), and a 14-point second-half effort from Zampier.
And as Yale clamped down, the physical nature of the game was taken up a notch. There were 53 fouls called in the contest, with each team's frontcourt playing a large chunk of the second half with four fouls.
Three Bulldogs fouled out of the game, including forward Ross Morin, the squad's usual leader. The senior was limited to just 19 minutes before his forced exit.
"It certainly affected us," Yale coach James Jones said, "because they were off the floor."
Penn forwards Cam Lewis and Brennan Votel found themselves in foul trouble as well, alternating spots on the low block and bench every few minutes. Lewis - who seemed to find his offensive stroke this weekend - played just 16 minutes before hitting the showers.
"I thought what we lost with Cam was we lost a low-post presence offensively," Miller said. "And then from a rebounding standpoint.we gave up a few offensive boards that had the potential to really hurt us in this game down the stretch."
The Bulldogs' proficiency on the offensive glass kept them in the game, but a heady effort from the Quakers' prodigal point guard may have been Penn's best weapon in the second half.
Rosen, a freshman, scored all of his 12 points after halftime, and simply oozed confidence. He converted a crucial and-1 midway through the frame, and as Yale crept within three with under four minutes to play, he coolly knocked down a three-pointer with no hesitation.
"He's probably one of the best point guards in the league," Jones said. "He doesn't play like a typical freshman."
And, in a game marked by loose balls, bumps and bruises, Rosen's quiet performance may have been the difference.
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