Saturday in Newark, N.J., New Jersey Institute of Technology shooters caught fire and Penn couldn’t douse the flames.
The Quakers had a chance to eclipse last season’s two-win total but couldn’t stymie the potent NJIT offense and fell 74-63.
“I thought we played hard but not smart enough,” Penn coach Mike McLaughlin said.
He cited defensive breakdowns and NJIT’s ability to get penetration off the dribble as key factors in the loss.
The Highlanders (1-4) shot 57.1 percent from the floor in the first half and over 50 percent on the game. Though Penn (2-2) held opposing teams to under 30 percent in its wins this season, the Quakers had trouble shutting down NJIT.
The Highlanders’ victory was their first of the season.
“They were just hitting shots,” said junior Jourdan Banks, who had 12 points on the game. “There was nothing we could do about that.”
NJIT sophomore Rayven Johnson gave Penn fits all afternoon, leading all scorers with 24 points on 9-for-12 shooting.
“Teams are going to hit shots,” Banks said. “It’s just how you react to it.”
Freshman Alyssa Baron was a bright spot for the Quakers. She scored a career-high 20 points to lead Penn and receive her second Ivy Rookie of the Week honor in three weeks.
