As we get deeper into the second semester, we’ve started to get a firm grasp on the true makeup of Penn’s winter sports teams. Though there unquestionably is still time for certain teams to flip the script, we’ve already seen enough from most squads to judge whether they’re contenders or pretenders at this point. With that said, our sports editors take to the roundtable to debate: which Penn winter team has exceeded expectations the most so far:
Don’t let the 63-53 scoreline deceive you, the Penn women’s basketball took Temple’s explosive side down to the wire in tonight’s Big 5 finale.
In its final Big 5 tilt of the season, Penn women's basketball just couldn’t keep up with Temple’s size and athleticism, falling by a score of 63-53. The score doesn’t do Penn justice, as the Red and Blue held a lead as late as 4:47 in the fourth quarter. The Quakers (9-6, 0-4 Big 5) finish winless in Big 5 play on the season, failing for the first time in five years to win a game in the mini-conference.
From the Quakers' perspective: trap avoided. In a game that was close for a total of five minutes, Penn women’s basketball dispatched Stevens Tech 89-43.
In its final non-conference game of the season, Penn women’s basketball cruised to a 89-43 victory over Stevens Tech, breaking a few team records under coach Mike McLaughlin in the process.
This was a special performance. Brodeur started off the game hot with 14 first half points, but it only got better from there. Simply put, Brodeur dominated down the stretch. He finished the game with a career-high 35 points, including 13 in a row for the Quakers at one point, and also scored the biggest points of the game with two big free throws to put Penn up three with just two seconds left. Brodeur’s 35 are the most in a game for Penn since 1995.
This was a special performance. Brodeur started off the game hot with 14 first half points, but it only got better from there. Simply put, Brodeur dominated down the stretch. He finished the game with a career-high 35 points, including 13 in a row for the Quakers at one point, and also scored the biggest points of the game with two big free throws to put Penn up three with just two seconds left. Brodeur’s 35 are the most in a game for Penn since 1995.
Don’t let the 63-53 scoreline deceive you, the Penn women’s basketball took Temple’s explosive side down to the wire in tonight’s Big 5 finale.
In its final Big 5 tilt of the season, Penn women's basketball just couldn’t keep up with Temple’s size and athleticism, falling by a score of 63-53. The score doesn’t do Penn justice, as the Red and Blue held a lead as late as 4:47 in the fourth quarter. The Quakers (9-6, 0-4 Big 5) finish winless in Big 5 play on the season, failing for the first time in five years to win a game in the mini-conference.
Wednesday evening, Penn men’s basketball made the most of its last matchup against a Big 5 foe, outpacing La Salle, 77-74, on the road.
Losers of four straight, Penn men's basketball knows that as the losses pile up, so does its chances of earning a spot in this year’s inaugural Ivy League Tournament. But not to worry — the Red and Blue travel across town to La Salle Wednesday night with one last chance to iron out the wrinkles before resuming conference play in February.
Needless to say, the local lack of success for Penn basketball has been disappointing, particularly so for a women's team that won the Big 5 as recently as 2015. With these struggles in mind, our sports editors take to the roundtable to debate: Does the Big 5 still matter to Penn basketball?
Penn (9-5, 0-3 Big 5) looks to avoid going winless in the Big 5 as it gets set to take on Temple (15-3, 3-0) on Wednesday. This week represents the final two non-conference games of the year for the Quakers as they take a quick break from the Ivy League, where they are undefeated.
The Monmouth men's basketball bench last year got a lot of press. Here’s one that might deserve more: Penn women’s basketball, a bench whose depth will be tested like never before after a last-minute change to move junior guard Beth Brzozowski into the starting lineup.
Penn women’s basketball’s Lauren Whitlatch is out for the season with a torn ACL.
“There’s no such thing as freshmen anymore.” Regardless of their distinction, his point is clear: Fifteen games into the season, it's high time for this skilled Penn men's basketball class to lose the softening nomenclature.
Penn men’s basketball was never out of the fight against St. Joseph’s. The players lasted the full twelve rounds.
The Red and Blue couldn’t escape an early 15-point deficit Friday, staging a furious comeback before coming up short to St. Joseph’s in a 78-71 loss at the Palestra. With the defeat, the Quakers’ remain winless in the season’s most important games, as they are a combined 0-6 in Big 5 and Ivy League play.
One item of note is that Saturday night’s game at the Palestra actually counts as an away game for the Red and Blue, while the Hawks play the role of hosts. It’s unclear yet whether that will have any real impact, but because of the cross-city rivalry, both sides will surely have crowds there to neutralize any home court advantage for either side.
Seeking its first win over Villanova since the 2001-2002 season, this was a game Penn women's basketball wanted badly. And for nearly three quarters, it looked like the Quakers might get it. Unfortunately for the Red and Blue, Villanova had other plans.
In Villanova (8-9, 4-3 Big East), Penn will face a surging team that has won four of its last five contests. The Wildcats' defense has been strong lately, giving up just 54.2 points per game over that stretch. Villanova has given the Quakers fits in recent years, as the Wildcats have won the previous 14 meetings, dating all the way back to the 2001-2002 season. The matchup also has an interesting side-storyline: Penn and Villanova are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in fewest turnovers per game nationally.
A tumultuous January for Penn men’s basketball continues with your classic “good news-bad news” situation. The good news: star guard Antonio Woods has been reinstated to the school and will be able to help the Penn basketball program once again. The bad news: he won’t be taking the floor until next season.
Penn men's basketball coach Steve Donahue is not one to overreact. But after losing both legs of a weekend doubleheader, things are going from bad to worse for the Quakers in conference play.
Solutions by The State News
