M. Hoops aims to get its bench involved

The Penn men's basketball team, sporting a new look since point guard Andy Toole's foot surgery, is searching everywhere for some consistent contribution.

But following Saturday's loss to St. Joe's, the Quakers (6-2) will have plenty of time to gear up for their next contest.

"It is frustrating not having a game right now," Penn freshman guard Tim Begley said. "We really want to get somebody else like St. Joe's got us, so have two weeks to get ready for the next one, but we're fired up right now."

The Quakers will host Davidson on Dec. 22 in the first of four tune-up games over winter break. After classes resume, Penn will participate in its first Ivy weekend of the season, facing Dartmouth and Harvard.

The Red and Blue, who will be without injured point guard Toole for the duration of the break, will be focused on preparing for the start of league play.

"We'll have a nice little stretch without Andy where the teams are beatable, but everybody has got to do their job," Begley said. "We have to get most of these games, and we want to get all of them so that we can go into first Ivy weekend with only two losses."

A key for Penn over the break will be building up the attack that fell short versus the Hawks.

Swingman Dan Solomito filled the lineup hole left by Toole against St. Joe's, and Penn will be looking for everyone from guards Duane King and Charlie Copp to center Adam Chubb to increase their roles.

Chubb, who recently returned to the lineup from a stress fracture of his own, chipped in seven points in 11 minutes off the bench against St. Joe's. As the team's only center with experience prior to this season, he is a top candidate to log more minutes in the Quakers front court.

Plugging Chubb and freshman center Jan Fikiel in at the 5-spot moves Penn away from the three-guard look that prevailed before Toole's injury.

"I think we played the same style that we've been playing, but it was just a different look without Andy out there," Penn junior forward Koko Archibong said. "We had people stepping up and contributing well, so I don't think that [Toole's absence] should hinder our game in any significant way."

Penn's first contest of the break against Davidson (4-2) will be a personal one for the older team members.

Talk in the Quakers locker room has been focusing on last year's meeting of the two teams, in which the Wildcats slipped by Penn, 84-81, in overtime.

Against Davidson, then-sophomore Ugonna Onykewe registered his second straight double-double -- 17 points and 10 rebounds -- and continued to showcase himself as Penn's rising star before beginning a disappointing Ivy season that would mar his second year.

After doing battle with the Wildcats, Penn will then travel to Big 5 rival Temple (3-4) to face point guard Lynn Greer and the Owls, who entertained the Palestra in a close loss to Villanova last Saturday.

The Owls' senior guard has been dominating so far this season, averaging 27.0 points per game -- well above his 18.2 average as a junior.

"Against Temple we'll have to play an almost perfect game," Begley said. "They've got some great players and their system is unbelievable."

Lehigh, which has rebounded with two victories after seven straight losses to begin the season, will host Penn on Jan. 5.

Penn's final pre-Ivy game will take place on Jan.7 when the Quakers host Florida International (4-4).

Last season, the Quakers earned their first victory of the season against the Panthers, after starting the season 0-8.

Despite the loss of their starting point guard, the Quakers remain confident that they can continue the level of play that has made them a vogue sleeper pick for the college basketball press.

"If we're playing our game at the highest level possible then we match up well against any team," Archibong said. "We're going to focus on getting better over the break and will hopefully win the games as well."

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