In a very un-Penn/Princeton like score, the Quakers won, 82-67. Going into the weekend, there are two unbeaten teams in Ivy play - Harvard and Penn. Harvard is at home against Cornell and Columbia. The Quakers (11-9, 3-0 Ivy) are at Yale and Brown. If both win a pair, it will set up a midseason Palestra showdown on Friday, Feb. 10.
This was not just about playing and trying to beat Princeton, Penn coach Jerome Allen told his team before the game. This Penn team, he said, is playing for something bigger than a game, even this game.
"Is [this game] what you're playing for or are you playing to get a number up in the rafters at the end of the season," Allen told his team. "Nothing should supersede that."
Penn was 3-0 in the Ivy last season, too. Then, it lost three consecutive overtime games - to Harvard, Princeton and Cornell before losing to Columbia. Penn's three seniors - Rosen, Tyler Bernardini and Rob Belcore - were there for 3-0 and then 3-4. They returned to try to get it right this time.
"We're trying to win one game 14 times," Rosen said after his coach explained the precise language required.
Rosen had 28 points and five assists. When a high ball screen would cause a switch and a mismatch, he would calmly set up his man and find a shot. When he faced a double team, he would split it, find his way to the rim, often take contact and score.
It was on exactly that kind of play that he got his 20th point, giving him one more than Allen (1,488) had in his career. He did the same thing with 2 minutes left to put the game away. And when the Tigers would not let him through, he threw an amazing crosscourt pass to Steve Rennard in the corner for a late three that gave Penn breathing space.
