Looking at the way the Penn men's basketball team played last weekend in 27 and 38-point routs over Harvard and Dartmouth, one might find it pretty hard to believe that the Quakers are in third place in the Ivy League.
When asked if he was shocked that Penn -- 19-6 overall -- was only 6-3 in league play, Dartmouth coach Dave Faucher said he was one of the nonbelievers.
"If you look at who they've beaten non-conference, and then you look at how they played the two times against Dartmouth," he said. "Yes, I'm surprised."
The Red and Blue have lost to Harvard, Columbia and Yale by a combined nine points.
The Quakers are currently two games back in the loss column of Yale (9-1), and one game behind Princeton (7-2) in the Ancient Eight.
Penn hosts Yale on Saturday the night after the Elis play at Princeton's Jadwin Gymnasium.
After this weekend's tussles with Brown and Yale, the Quakers travel to Cornell and Columbia the following weekend before hosting Princeton on March 5 in the final Ivy League game of the season.
If Yale manages to split its final four contests -- they also host Harvard and Dartmouth -- the best the Quakers can do is finish tied for the Ivy League lead -- if they win all four of their contests. If the Elis go 3-1, Penn would be eliminated from Ivy play.
If Yale gets swept this weekend and Penn repeats its victory of Princeton when the two meet again -- and all three teams win their other games -- then there would force a three way playoff with Yale and Princeton playing for the right to face the Quakers.
After this weekend, the Ivy title scenario will be much clearer. But if this season has taught us anything, it probably will not be decided just yet.
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