Penn blown out by Harvard at the Palestra

on a 24-6 run behind a dominant defensive performance.

The first half saw the Red and Blue shoot just 6-for-20 from the field, while being out-rebounded by eight. Freshmen guards Antonio Woods and Darnell Foreman both struggled to hold onto the ball, combining for six of the Quakers’ nine first-half turnovers.

“We talked at halftime, I’m here to hold my guys to the highest standard, but more so to look at myself first and foremost before I start to point the finger,” Allen said.

“I need to do a better job getting these guys ready to play.”

After halftime, it was more of the same. Harvard never allowed the Red and Blue to get closer than 25 after taking a 40-15 lead within the first two minutes of the half.

The Crimson found contributions up and down the roster with four players scoring in double digits, led by Chambers with 14. Saunders — the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year — finished with 11 points, four rebounds and six assists.

Against Dartmouth (8-10, 1-3 Ivy), it was an entirely different story for the Quakers. Led by sophomore guard Matt Howard — who was suffering from a stomach illness — and his career-high 18 points, Penn found what was missing against Princeton earlier in the season and held off a late rally.

“When he’s aggressive and he’s active, we’re a much better team,” Allen said of Howard’s performance.

In the end, it came down to Woods, who made a key play in the final seconds, scoring a game-sealing layup with just under 10 seconds.

Penn implemented its defensive game-plan well in the first half, holding Dartmouth’s leading scorer, Alex Mitola, without a point through the first 20 minutes. Yet, the Red and Blue got off to an equally slow start and took a 20-16 lead into halftime.

“In the first half, we struggled offensively,” Allen said. “But we held them to 16 points, and they’re a pretty good offensive team.”

In the second half, both teams woke up on the offensive side as Dartmouth’s Gabas Maldunas and Malik Gill began to find their rhythms to bring the game close.

xone possession late in the game, but behind Woods’ clutch play and strong team defense, the Quakers held on to earn their only victory of the weekend.

Next weekend, the team will travel north to face off with Columbia and Cornell in the first Ivy League road doubleheader of the season.

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