Title scenarios...

10 days ago Penn fans (and journalists eager for a trip to the big dance) we're counting their lucky stars, excited that this just might be The Year. But after four losses, as Kevin Esteves points out in his column today, the hope of any Ivy title has all but faded from the collective mindset.

But for those still grasping at the last shreds of banner-hanging prospects, here's a guide to how the Quakers season will have to play out:

Penn must win-out. The toughest game left on the schedule appears to be Friday March 4th, at Harvard. If the Quakers run the table, they finish 10-4 in conference.
Frontrunner Princeton (7-0) must lose three of their remaining six games before they close out the season with a loss at the Palestra on March 8th. The most plausible of those three losses would be at Harvard on Saturday March 5th, but two other Ivy pack-dwellers will need to step up. Cornell kept Princeton close in Ithaca, and Yale gave the Tigers a run for their money at Jadwin, so those are two games to watch.
Harvard (6-1) must lose twice, in addition to falling to Penn in on the 4th. Considering in the above scenario they beat Princeton, they'll have to go .500 on their upcoming four-game road trip at Cornell/Columbia and Brown/Yale. Again, Yale looks to be the best bet for Penn.

If Yale can play the spoiler twice, the Bulldogs (5-3) will also be in prime position to contend as well. There you have it.