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From the Cheap Seats: Penn
takes two-game lead in Ivy race The University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team walked into a hostile Jadwin Gym on Tuesday night to the boisterous home crowd's chants of "overrated." The Quakers walked out with a 55-46 victory that all but ended Princeton's Ivy League championship hopes. The loss drops the Tigers two games behind Penn with only seven remaining. Both teams struggled offensively in the game's early going as Princeton took an early 12-8 lead. At that point the Quaker defense tightened and forced the Tigers into successive shot clock violations. Penn turned up the pressure on Princeton's perimeter players and forced Tiger center Chris Young '02 away from the comfort of the low post. With the Princeton offense extended way beyond the three-point arc, and unable to muster a significant inside threat, the tide began to turn. "I thought they played very good defense," said Princeton head basketball coach Bill Carmody. "They stopped us from doing what we wanted to do." Penn's offense began to click when they started running standout guard Michael Jordan off multiple screens in the low post area. Jordan was able to separate from Tiger guard Spencer Gloger '03, and repeatedly penetrated the teeth of the Princeton defense. On several occasions Jordan was able to get open looks at the basket, which he usually converted. With 9:04 remaining in the first half, the diminutive Jordan drove to the basket, lofted a shot over the 6'11" Young, and drew a foul. The ensuing free throw gave Penn a 13-12 lead. When the Tigers tried to adjust and provide help for Gloger, Jordan continued to victimize them, now with his passing. The playmaker found open teammates as Tiger defenders rushed to cut-off his penetration. Despite a sloppy finish, the Quakers carried a 25-18 lead to the half. Tiger stalwarts Mason Rocca '00 and Gloger were held scoreless by a Penn defense that challenged every shot, forced seven turnovers, and held Princeton to 27.3 percent shooting from the field. As the second half got underway, Princeton started to assert itself on the offensive end. Young was able to get position in the post and briefly provided Princeton with an inside presence. The Tigers' play improved, and Rocca finally got on the board with a three-point-play that seemed to sway the momentum in the Tigers' favor. However, after only 5:00 of the second half, Young was whistled for his fourth foul. With their center relegated to the bench, Princeton was unable to hold down Penn's inside game. Jordan continued to break down the Princeton defense, creating open shots for himself and his teammates. Buoyed by the relentless play of Rocca, who provided inside scoring in Young's absence, the Tigers were able to stay close until the game's final 5:00. At that point an errant pass from C.J. Chapman '01 was stolen by the Quakers and turned into a lay-up. The Tigers came up empty on their next trip, after which Penn extended its lead. Matt Langel found Frank Brown in the corner for a three-pointer that gave the Quakers a 47-38 margin and ended the Tiger threat. In a game that featured solid defensive efforts by both teams, it was the ability of Quaker guard Michael Jordan to create offense that proved to be the deciding factor. By Matt Golden '94
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