Roundtable: What was the biggest takeaway from the NCAA Tournament?

On Sunday, Penn women's hoops did battle with Texas in the Quakers' first NCAA Tournament action in ten years. Though the Red and Blue fell to the Longhorns even with a dazzling start from senior captain Alyssa Baron, the overall achievement of reaching the Big Dance was not only the perfect culmination of the 2013-14 season, but even more meaningful for Penn's four seniors. As the calendar flips to the next season, now's the time to discuss the takeaways from Sunday's game.

Sports Editor Riley Steele: I'd by lying if I said I hadn't fallen in love with Mike McLaughlin's team this season. Not only did the Quakers defeat Princeton for the first time in six years and end the Tigers four-year run atop the Ancient Eight, Penn also had a stellar nonconference slate as well.

Ultimately, that's what I take away from Sunday's matchup with Texas; though the Longhorns blitzed Penn throughout the second half and eventually pulled away, the Quakers were prepared for the moment. They never looked overmatched or scared. I believe that the ability for Penn to challenge top-tier nonconference opponents like Notre Dame, Miami and members of the Big 5 kept the Red and Blue focused entering Sunday's game. Thus, if McLaughlin and the Quakers succeed in challenging themselves outside of the Ivy League, Penn will continue to rise up in pressure games.

Sports Editor Ian Wenik: Watching Penn dominate Texas in the first half but getting torched inside in the second stanza, I think I realized on Sunday just how important it is for Penn to keep its frontcourt duo of Sydney Stipanovich and Kara Bonenberger out of foul trouble. You could tell from the second that both were on the bench that the Longhorns were out for blood.

I think that going forward, the inside-out game and interior presence that Stipanovich and Bonenberger provide are going to be absolutely crucial and will likely be the centerpiece of McLaughlin's offensive sets. The only question will be as to who will take all of those open jumpers that the pair will set up, now that Alyssa Baron is gone. Will it be Keiera Ray? Kathleen Roche? A freshman? That remains to be seen.

Senior Sports Editor Steven Tydings: My main takeaway from that game was the extreme effort that the senior class gave, not just in that game but all season long . Baron led the way, as usual, scoring and doing everything she could to put Penn ahead early. Fellow captain Meghan McCullough was her normal self, playing her steady game at the point and keeping the Quakers grounded.

And Courtney Wilson stepped up in a big way off the bench. All season long, she took a backseat to Stipanovich. On Sunday, with Stipanovich in foul trouble, Wilson gave one of her best efforts of the year and that will not soon be forgotten by the underclassmen who will follow her role in the future.

Watching the senior class all year long, from Baron to McCullough to Wilson to Kristen Kody , there is no doubting the effort they gave to the program and how deeply they cared while on the court. The seniors will be missed and a defining moment for next year will be how this year’s junior class steps up into similar leadership roles.