Dan McQuade: Ivy title not guaranteed

Looking at its record so far this year, the Penn men's basketball team would seem to be a likely lock for the Ivy League title.

And why not? From their season-opening upset of Georgia Tech to Monday night's demolition of Florida International, the 9-3 Quakers pretty much have been solid all around. Two of Penn's losses have been to the then-No. 2 and No. 18 teams in the nation.

The only real slip-up was a 75-71 overtime loss to Davidson. But as the recent slew of Top 10 upsets has shown, every team has a bad day, and the Quakers undoubtedly had one against the Wildcats.

The only major problem for the Red and Blue this season has been rebounding, as Penn has been outrebounded by an average of about 10 boards per game.

But even that shows signs of turning around. In the last four games, the Quakers have only been outrebounded by an average of 1.25 per game, a marked improvement from their earlier struggles on the glass.

The Quakers' struggles from the free throw line even seem to be disappearing. In their last two contests, Penn has hit 27-of-30 free throws, an astonishing 90 percent.

At this point, it seems like the student body should just storm the court and watch the Quakers cut down the nets, right?

Hold on just a second. Let's not make our reservations for plane tickets to an NCAA East Regional site just yet -- the rest of the Ivy League has been turning some heads as well this season.

First off is Brown. The Bears, the preseason pick for second place in the Ivies, are scorching the nets with an average of 84 points per game. They are 9-4 and pulled off an upset of city rival Providence, now 9-7, on Nov. 28.

Brown is led by junior guard Earl Hunt, who leads the Ivy League in scoring at 21.9 points per game. Hunt, the Ivy League's reigning Player of the Week, torched Navy for 35 points on Jan. 5.

But the Bears are not the only Ivy squad to make some noise so far this season. Yale -- yes, those powerhouse Elis -- who had not entered Ivy League play with a record over .500 since the 1991-92 season, are 8-6 and have notched victories over Penn State, Clemson and Rhode Island. They also lost to Div. III Macalester, a team that plays opponents with names such as Flagler and St. Olaf.

Okay, so the Elis are a bit inconsistent. However, they have five players, who average in double figures in points, and could pose a challenge for Penn in the Ivies.

Harvard, who split with the Quakers last season, is already 2-0 in the Ancient Eight after blowing out Dartmouth twice. The Crimson hold opponents to just 62 points a game and are anchored by junior guard Patrick Harvey, who averages 17.8 points per game.

The Crimson (9-5) are also undefeated at home this season, a mark that will be tested this Saturday when the Quakers travel to Boston.

Lastly, there's Princeton. The Tigers, Penn's New Jersey rivals, are at 4-7, the second worst record of any Ancient Eight team.

As great as it would feel to pronounce Princeton dead on arrival this season, it must be noted that this is the same record Princeton had last season before entering Ivy play. And last year, the Tigers bested the Quakers twice and received the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

So it's not going to be a cakewalk this season -- not by a longshot.

But if the Quakers just stay focused, and play like they've shown they can, this campus will be in for a state of euphoria come March.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.