No panic in Penn after loss

If the Penn men's basketball team emerged demoralized from Saturday's loss at Yale, the Quakers did not show it.

The Red and Blue played by far its worst game of the Ivy League season against the Elis. But with the standings still showing the Quakers up by two and a half games with five to play, the team took a step back to watch game film yesterday, and came away with a sense of the positives and negatives.

"We played well in most stretches against Brown, and against Yale we started off well," Penn coach Fran Dunphy said. "We could have been up by more [against Yale]. Then we could have led when they went on their run instead of being behind."

Overall, Dunphy said he saw no difference in the intensity level in yesterday's practice. What he did see was a team determined to reach its goal of getting to the NCAA Tournament.

"They're a very dedicated group of guys," Dunphy said. "They know they didn't play their best game Saturday. Yale played very well."

Bull's-eye on Begley

One thing that Yale accomplished beyond their own expectations was containing Penn senior Tim Begley.

After a sensational stretch of play in which he scored 24 points against Cornell and 22 against Brown on Friday, the Freehold, N.J., native came plummeting back to earth Saturday.

The Elis held Begley scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting, and when the captain does not score, the Quakers do not win. Penn's losses against Villanova, when Begley failed to hit a field goal, and against Illinois-Chicago, when he shot 2-for-11, demonstrate the senior's importance to the team.

But Dunphy believes that Begley's teammates will be able to compensate the rest of the year when he has an off night.

"There are other ways [Begley] can help us besides scoring," Dunphy said. "Saturday wasn't his best night, but we need other people to step up. Other than Zoller, no one had a great game for us offensively on Saturday."

The flu bug bites Penn

In this season of flu bugs and colds, it is a wonder that collegiate athletes are able to stay as healthy as they are.

But the stomach virus that has afflicted the Penn campus over the past several weeks has reached the basketball squad.

Guard Eric Osmundson played only 15 minutes Friday night against Brown because of the virus. He spent most of the game on the sidelines getting his temperature and pulse checked out by the medical staff.

Osmundson was able to play most of the game against Brown, and Dunphy said that he expects the Carlsbad, Calif., native to be back to full strength this weekend.

Fresh face off the bench

One freshman who has been seeing more playing time in Dunphy's rotation recently is guard David Whitehurst.

Known as a defensive specialist, Whitehurst saw the most extensive action of his short time at Penn on Friday against Brown, logging a career-high 21 minutes. He also established new personal bests in points with four, rebounds with three and assists with three.

With a postseason berth likely, Dunphy realizes the value in giving a player like Whitehurst valuable experience now. His defense and passing could be handy in March.

"We're looking for the same thing from everybody, not just David," Dunphy said. "We want guys who don't make mistakes and who make sound decisions. David knows what he needs to work on. He made a nice pass to Pettinella in the game on Friday."

Clinching scenarios

Penn still has a comfortable advantage in the Ivy League race, and could, with a little help, clinch at least a share of the title this weekend.

With a pair of victories in the state of New York against Cornell and Columbia and one Yale loss in its next three games, the Quakers could clinch a tie for the Ancient Eight championship.

That would give the Red and Blue a chance to clinch the title outright at home the following Friday against Dartmouth.

After that, it would be up to the NCAA Selection Committee to decide where the Quakers would go next.

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