M. HOOPS MID-SEASON REVIEW: Penn in familiar position

Just over three months ago the Penn men's basketball team began making adjustments to its system. The system had carried an almost identical roster of Quakers to the best record in the nation the preceding two seasons. Midway through this season, the results have been more of the same. At 11-3, the Quakers continue to vie for national attention. And with victories in its first three Ivy League contests, Penn has extended its all-time record for consecutive Ivy wins to 32. The ingredients for excellence are largely the same. A star backcourt, a solid frontcourt and a dash of discipline combine to raise the Quakers a notch above their Ivy counterparts. For the first few minutes, a typical Penn game this season looks strikingly like one from last season. The major difference is Scott Kegler's starting role -- a spot in which the Columbus native has excelled. Kegler's outside marksmanship is well-documented. The senior forward's three-point shooting percentage of .522 leads the Ivy League and is one of the nation's best. Kegler led Penn with 26 points against Dartmouth and 19 against La Salle. The other pleasant surprise in the starting lineup has been the offensive contribution of senior center Eric Moore. Moore has upped his scoring from 8.1 points per game last season to 12.1 in 1994-95. All season he has teamed up with senior forward Shawn Trice to add a new dimension to the Quakers' offense. "Eric and Shawn as starters have provided great leadership," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "They defend well, they've rebounded fairly well, and when it has come time for them to be scorers, they've done that." Several minutes into this year's typical Penn contest, the tempo and style of the game change significantly with the entrance of junior forwards Tim Krug and Ira Bowman. Dunphy has inserted the Quakers' most important substitutes together several times recently -- with dramatic results. "Their minutes are going to come," Dunphy said. "But it's coincidence when they come in together. It's not like I say, 'Okay, let's put Tim and Ira in and change the face of the game.' I'm not that bright." Dunphy's coaching attributes notwithstanding, Krug and Bowman have proved to be an active, effective and crowd-pleasing combination off the bench. Krug, for one, averages 8.1 points in his 19 minutes per game. Krug, with his dunking and shot-blocking abilities, provides an emotional spark in many instances -- most recently Saturday's victory over Princeton. Improved defense and passing are the most telling signs of Krug's increased contribution this season. If Krug provides a spark, then Bowman provides nothing less than a volcanic eruption. With Bowman's harassing defense in the game, Penn plays what approximates a one-man full-court press. Offensively, Bowman is equally frenetic. Averaging 9.6 ppg in his 18 minutes, Bowman shoots 53.5 percent from the field. Bowman's season did not begin entirely auspiciously. Expected by many to replace the aforementioned Pierce after transferring from Providence, Bowman instead struggled to integrate himself into the Quaker offense. Against Canisius in the season opener, Bowman appeared out of control. "It was a natural reaction for someone who hadn't played for nearly two years," Dunphy observed. "But I think he's pleased with how things are coming along." Maloney and Allen have also continued to prosper in the half-court game. Maloney is averaging 12.8 points per game and has shot 42 percent on three-pointers. Allen, meanwhile, is averaging 15.5 points and over five rebounds per game. Together, Maloney and Allen have averaged over 10 assists against under five turnovers per game. Midway through this season of adjustment, it appears everyone has settled in. Last year's first 14 games yielded a 12-2 mark. This year Penn is 11-3 at the same point, and once again the Quakers seem to be doing almost everything right.

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