After dropping four straight games, the women’s basketball team got back on track before a long winter break.
“No one likes to lose,” senior guard Erin Power said after scoring a career-high 16 points.
On Friday night at the Palestra, she opened all scoring with a layup in the first minute of regulation and the Red and Blue never looked back, winning 69-48.
The Quakers (3-5) showcased a rejuvenated offense and dominating defense that helped them jump out to an early 17-3 lead, holding Maine (1-7) to one field goal in the first 11:27 of the game. In that span, Power had six points, while senior center Caroline Nicholson had four.
In the first half, freshman guard Meghan McCullough spearheaded Penn’s full-court press — resulting in seven steals — while the overwhelming presence of junior forward Jess Knapp neutralized Maine’s bigs.
Penn’s dominant front line out-rebounded Maine25-11, leading to the 15 second-chance points that blew the game wide open.
“When our guards pick up full court, they cause a headache,” coach Mike McLaughlin said. “They’re like gnats that just won’t go away.”
Penn employed a free-flowing offense that seemed to be firing on all cylinders. The team used timely cuts off of ball screens and good floor spacing, with nine of their 13 first-half field goals coming from assists.
The Red and Blue took a 21-point lead going into halftime — led by freshman guard Alyssa Baron, who had scored as many field goals alone (6) as all of Maine’s players combined.
“We’re getting better offensively,” McLaughlin said. “If we get good shots, eventually we’re going to make them.”
The second half saw the Quakers put the finishing touches on Maine, which has now lost six straight. Penn’s swarming defense didn’t allow a field goal for the first six minutes of the half, as its lead ballooned to 28 points.
“Maine traveled all the way here to play us, and we weren’t just going to give them a win,” Power said.
The Red and Blue finished the game ahead by 21, their largest margin of victory since beating Rider by 28 in 2006. This improves their record to 3-5, which already surpasses their win total last season.
Power and Baron led the Quakers in scoring with 16 points apiece, and Power also recorded her second career double-double. Junior Jessica Knapp finished with eight points and 10 rebounds, falling just short of her own double-double.
Sophomore guard Brianna Bradford hit two threes and finished with a season-high 12 points. McCullough had career highs with five assists and four steals, which helped force Maine into 23 turnovers overall.
The Quakers will now wait until Dec. 29 to play their next game, when they head to the Big Apple to face St. Francis at 7 p.m. They will then face Lafayette before opening Ivy play against Princeton on Jan. 9.
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