Online Update: Penn beats Monmouth, 69-61

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J., Dec. 8 - The story for the Penn men's basketball team this season has been its youth. But for once, on Saturday night the Quakers actually looked like the more experienced team on the court.

In a game that gave the feeling it would go down to the wire, Penn used a 10-0 run late in the second half to defeat Monmouth 69-61. Late in the contest, it was the Hawks (2-6) who were forcing shots while the Quakers (3-7) stayed within themselves and executed on offense.

"[The Quakers] played smarter than us and they played tougher than us," Monmouth coach Dave Calloway said. "That's how the game panned out, and during the key stretch, five minutes left and it's anybody's game, they played even smarter and even tougher and we regressed."

The Penn run was sparked by Aron Cohen's three pointer that gave the Quakers a 55-51 lead with 3:21 left. The junior, who got a surprise start at point guard over freshman Harrison Gaines, had passed up several shooting opportunities during the half and even one on the very same possession. Left unguarded once again, he made the Hawks pay.

"It was an open look. I got my feet set and finally hit a shot," Cohen said. "I haven't really been shooting well but I just try to knock down good shots that are open."

Besides an uncharacteristically quick start - Penn jumped out to a 10-2 lead - it was in many ways a typical first half for the Quakers. They were sloppy on offense, committing 11 turnovers and were porous on defense, allowing the Hawks several easy attempts in the lane.

Jhamar Youngblood dealt most of the damage for the Hawks, scoring 13 first-half points and getting into the lane nearly at will. Monmouth's combination of big men also gave the Quakers fits in the post.

"Defensively, I thought we did an okay job in the first half, but they made a nice adjustment and went from being a perimeter team to trying to isolate down low, and that hurt us," Penn coach Glen Miller said.

In the second half, the Quakers clamped down, holding Youngblood to only one basket and forcing the Hawks to shoot from the perimeter more often.

The Quakers also experienced more success on offense thanks to only four second-half turnovers.

"I think we just got more comfortable [in the second half]," Cohen said. "As the game went on, we just tried to make the simple pass and make the easy play."

Penn captain Brian Grandieri made it look easy all evening long, shooting 9-for-12 and was the game's leading scorer with 21 points.

Tyler Bernardini, who entered the game averaging 12.8 points per game, put up just three in the first half. But his two consecutive fast break baskets midway through the second seemed to swing the momentum in the Quakers' favor.

A surprise bright spot for Penn was Conor Turley, who played extended minutes for the first time this season.

"He's a very good competitor," Miller said of the freshman. "The stats don't do him any justice for what he gave us today."

The Quakers are far from where they want to be. But the poise they showed down the stretch in gaining their first road win is an encouraging sign.

"We've been a struggling young team, working hard trying to improve," Miller said. "But in the end, you gotta get a win once in a while to build some confidence."

Read the column here.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.