The Penn women's basketball team returns to the scene of its greatest triumph tonight.
The Quakers (8-12, 4-3 Ivy League) will be at Lavietes Pavillion at Harvard (15-5, 6-1) for a 6 p.m. game this evening.
In Penn's last trip to Boston, it clinched its first league championship with a 62-57 victory against the Crimson on Feb. 24, 2001.
The Red and Blue will then travel to Hanover, N.H., for a 7 p.m. matchup with Dartmouth (6-14, 2-5) on Saturday.
Harvard, which sits atop the conference standings -- two games ahead of Penn -- promises to be the greater challenge. The Crimson crushed the Quakers at the Palestra last month, 76-56.
But Penn's players insist that they are playing with a renewed spirit now, as is evidenced by the Quakers current three-game winning streak.
"I think we have a lot more confidence in ourselves," Penn senior tri-captain Julie Epton said. "We're playing a lot better as a whole on defense, and we're working together more."
And although the Quakers have shot the ball much better of late, they credit their improved defensive play for their recent surge.
The Quakers high-octane defense has translated into easier baskets, partially explaining the Red and Blue's offensive success, as well.
A couple weeks ago, Penn coach Kelly Greenberg implemented a full-court pressure strategy, to be used intermittently throughout each game.
The system has forced disoriented opposing teams to turn the ball over, which has led to a tremendous number of Penn fast breaks in the team's last three games.
"We've really stepped up our defense and our pressure," Penn junior tri-captain Tara Twomey said. "Things are starting to come together."
The defense's main test tonight will be Harvard's star sophomore center, Hana Peljto. The reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year is averaging 20.6 points per game this season.
Penn, despite surrendering 76 points to Harvard on Jan. 12, did manage to limit Peljto to just 19. In that contest, Quakers freshman center Katie Kilker played an effective 26 minutes, most of which were spent successfully guarding Harvard's dynamic post threat.
Kilker, who was recognized as the Ivy's Rookie of the Week last week, will likely spend much of her time again on Peljto.
The six-foot-two freshman has lately added more offense, though. While she contributed a modest six points and two rebounds in the first matchup, the Langhorne, Pa., native sparkled in all aspects last weekend.
Hosting Brown on Saturday night, Kilker recorded her first career double-double, finishing the night with 16 points and 10 boards.
This Saturday, Kilker will find herself opposing another forward averaging more than 20 points per game (20.3) in Dartmouth junior Katharine Hanks.
Hanks comprises half of a potent combination that also includes point guard Keri Downs, a five-foot-four junior who scores 16.3 points on average.
These two leading scorers have been unable to lift Dartmouth very far out of the league cellar this season, however. The Big Green, who absorbed a 76-64 defeat to Penn at the Palestra on Jan. 11, are presently tied for sixth in the standings.
Notable for having the greatest fan support in the Ancient Eight, the Big Green have not done their loyal aficionados well this season -- Dartmouth is 0-7 at home.
Still, Penn is cautious of being overconfident in light of the Big Green's explosiveness.
"I don't think we'll take them for granted," Twomey said. "They always play us tough.
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