If the first half is any indication, Penn’s home opener may be a nail-biter.
At halftime, Penn men’s basketball leads La Salle, 27-22, in its first home game of the season at the Palestra. In their first Big 5 matchup of the season, the Quakers (1-1) have outplayed the Explorers (1-0) thus far.
Looking to rebound from a tough loss at Rice, Penn has been aggressive by hustling on both ends and playing solid team defense.
Despite a 3-for-17 performance from the three-point line, the Quakers’ grit has allowed them to retain their lead throughout the game. Penn has 10 offensive rebounds to La Salle’s two, and they have taken the ball away from the Explorers four times.
Leading the way for the Red and Blue is senior gurard Ryan Betley, who has 10 points on 4-for-9 shooting.
The lone freshman in Penn’s starting lineup, Jordan Dingle, has continued to turn heads after his heroics in the season opener against Alabama. The 6-foot-3 guard has played 17 minutes and has three rebounds at halftime.
To this point, the Quakers have made a living in the paint, where almost all of their points have been scored. They have a clear size advantage over La Salle, which has allowed them to win the battle at the rim so far.
It has certainly been a defensive struggle to this point, with Penn and La Salle shooting 32.4% and 34.6% from the field, respectively.
Check back after the game for a full recap.
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