Penn drops opener to Big Ten defending champ Wisconsin

A Jeff Schiffner three-pointer from the left elbow tied the Penn men's basketball game against No. 15 Wisconsin at 40 with 11 minutes to play. The senior guard also set up Jan Fikiel with a lob pass, bringing Penn to within 50-48 with just over three minutes to play.

However, Penn would not score for nearly three more minutes as Wisconsin's defense locked down the Quakers, allowing the Badgers to pull away for a 64-53 win.

"They play really tough defense," Schiffner said. "They tightened up a bit there."

While Wisconsin's defense shut down Schiffner -- who scored 20 points and shot 3-for-5 from three-point range -- and the Quakers late in the second, the Badgers' guards stepped up down the stretch.

Junior Devin Harris drove down the lane, drawing contact from senior guard Charlie Copp. While Copp held the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year to only 4-for-14 shooting, Harris hit the short shot and the ensuing free throw, giving Wisconsin a 53-48 lead with 2:55 to play. Badgers guard Freddie Owens then got a steal and broke away for an uncontested layup. A driving basket by Owens would give Wisconsin a nearly unassailable 57-48 lead with two minutes to play.

The Quakers had many reasons to be encouraged in defeat. They jumped out to leads of 9-2 and 11-6 five minutes into the first half behind two field goals from Fikiel.

"We were in trouble," Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said.

However, the larger-conference team went to work on the boards even as its shooting went cold. While Penn held Wisconsin to only 13-for-33 shooting in the first half, the Quakers allowed nine offensive rebounds in falling behind 33-22 with five seconds remaining before the half.

"They scored a lot on the glass early on," Schiffner said. "It was quite a bit of their offense in the first half."

With time expiring before intermission, junior guard Tim Begley hit a 40-foot three-pointer to make the score 33-25 and give Penn some momentum.

Begley "played like he was trying to be the best horse player in existence... I think he practices that shot," Ryan said.

With 10 minutes left in the first half and Penn leading 15-12, Quakers fans got a look at the future of the team -- as three freshmen and junior transfer Eric Heil joined Schiffner on the floor. However, the vision of the future hurt Penn at the present.

With Schiffner as the only viable offensive option, Wisconsin went on a 12-0 run sparked by Harris hitting an accidental three-pointer on a lob pass.

There would be another mass substitution after Penn tied the game at 40 in the second half -- again leaving Schiffner to create most of the offense. Due to solid defense from the rookies Penn trailed only 44-42 with seven minutes left when starters returned.

"We're going to have to find the right combinations... there are a lot of possibilites we can go with," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said of his team, which features six newcomers. "The fact that we hung in there with some new people -- I'm pleased with that."

Schiffner gave a strong performance in his first game as the Quakers' primary scoring option. The guard, who was mostly a spot-up shooter a year ago, created much of Penn's offense with dribble penetration.

"If I have to step up and take more shots, so be it," Schiffner said.

After taking on No. 15 Wisconsin -- and before playing No. 3 Michigan State this weekend -- Penn will take on city foe Drexel tonight at the Palestra. A year ago, the Dragons defeated the Quakers, 71-62, behind 21 points and 10 rebounds by the since-graduated center Robert Battle.

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