M. Hoops looking to hold court

Master will meet apprentice for the second time this season when Penn faces Cornell tonight at the Palestra.

Cornell coach Steve Donahue assisted Penn coach Fran Dunphy for 10 years before accepting the head-coaching position in Ithaca, N.Y. in 2000.

As Dunphy's assistant, Donahue helped Penn compile a 182-90 record, win six Ivy League titles and achieve a monumental top 25 ranking.

Dunphy, busy with a speaking engagement all last evening, could not be reached for comment.

Despite elevating what was a suffering Big Red program to the upper echelon of the Ivy League this season, Donahue -- with a combined record of 21-60 in Ithaca -- has yet to defeat his mentor in seven meetings.

In last season's meeting at Cornell, Donahue's squad came close, falling to the eventual Ivy champion Quakers in a hard-fought 70-67 loss.

But things could not have been more different in the teams' first meeting of this season.

When the two teams met on Valentine's Day in upstate New York, Penn (13-9, 6-3 Ivy), expecting a competitive game against a vastly-improved Cornell contingent, dismantled the Big Red, 79-52.

Leading the offensive charge were junior Tim Begley -- who shot 5-for-8 from behind the three-point arc -- and standout freshman Ibby Jabber -- who shot 6-for-7 from the field and recorded five assists. Both finished the game with a team-high 17 points.

The Quakers' chances of a third-consecutive Ivy League championship seemed to evaporate in last Friday's 78-74 loss to Brown.

But with five games remaining in the season -- including a March 9 showdown against first-place Princeton (15-7, 8-1) at the Palestra -- Penn is still mathematically in the race and appears poised to do everything in its power to contend for Ivy supremacy.

Cornell's Ka'Ron Barnes, however, will stand in Penn's way this evening, as he pays his final respects to the Palestra.

The 6-foot, 190-pound point guard is currently leading the Ivy League in three major categories. His 21.1 points per game and 4.6 assists make him a leading candidate for Ivy League Player of the Year.

What's more, the Buffalo, N.Y., native is battling teammate Lenny Collins for the league steals crown. Barnes and Collins are tied atop the Ancient Eight with an impressive 2.0 picks per game.

In Ithaca, the Quakers had trouble containing the elusive Barnes in the second half, even though Penn had all but won the game. The guard netted 22 points on 8-for-16 shooting and dished out five assists.

But Barnes will not be Penn's only defensive concern tonight as it takes on the Big Red (11-12, 6-4).

The Quakers will also have to focus their efforts on three-point marksman junior Cody Toppert.

While the Quakers were able to stifle Toppert in Ithaca -- holding the shooting guard to just seven points on 3-11 from the field -- the sharpshooter currently ranks third in the league in scoring with 16.0 points per game and second in three-point shots made with 69.

When Penn traveled to New York on Feb. 13 to take on a Columbia team that perennially dwells at the bottom of the league, it may not have expected such a spirited effort from the gradually improving Lions (8-15, 4-6).

Under first-year coach Joe Jones, the Lions have exhibited signs of life and are now tied for fifth with underperforming Yale.

Penn emerged victorious, 91-76, and shot a scorching 61.5 percent from the field in New York. However, Columbia junior Matt Preston exploded for 28 points -- the same total tallied by Penn leading scorer Jeff Schiffner -- on 11-for-14 shooting.

Freshmen Mark Zoller and Jabber supplemented Schiffner's stellar play, scoring 15 and 16 points, respectively.

Although most would count them out of the Ivy race, the Lions are determined to showcase their new look tomorrow night at the Palestra.

"It's a big weekend for us," Preston said.

"Not only because we want to prove ourselves. We want to show up this time. Make a statement that way and try and get these two wins this weekend. We're not ready to cash in yet."

Preston emphasized the importance of finishing the season with some wins, particularly as the young Lions look toward next season to establish themselves in the league's upper echelon.

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