Inside 'D' will be Red and Blue's key

Over the first nine games of the season, the Penn men's basketball team held its opponent under 70 points only once. In the six games since, the Quakers have accomplished that feat five times.

Granted, those better defensive numbers have come against the likes of NJIT and Florida Gulf Coast - hardly top-flight or even mid-major-level competition - but there are signs of progress, especially in the interior.

Against La Salle on Tuesday, for example, the Quakers had nine blocks, as Penn forward Justin Reilly finally made a consistent contribution on the defensive side of the ball.

"Anything would have been an improvement, so it's easy to say it's been improved," said forward Cam Lewis, whose insertion into the starting lineup has helped bolster the team's interior defense.

"We know that we're not going to outscore people so we have to get stops, because that's the only way we're going to win."

It won't be easy for Penn (5-10) to get inside stops tomorrow against Saint Joseph's (9-5). The Hawks have all but owned Penn in recent years, and enter having won five of their last six games, and four of their last five against the Red and Blue.

And this year, they bring a two-headed monster to the Palestra in 6-foot-10 Pat Calathes and 6-foot-9 Ahmad Nivins.

Calathes - who is also a threat from beyond the arc, where he is shooting at a .442 percentage - leads the Hawks with 18.1 points per game. Nivins is more of a threat on the low post.

"Both those guys are really good so it's going to be a team effort to keep them off the glass," Lewis said. "We'll probably run some double teams at Nivins, I imagine."

The University of Massachusetts found out what can happen if Nivins is left one-on-one deep in the post. Last week, he lit up the Minutemen for 31 points and 12 rebounds.

The Quakers' improvement may suit them against Nivins and Calathes, but it was Penn's lack of ability to stop guards getting in the lane that was its downfall on Tuesday.

"We allowed too much penetration off the dribble," Penn coach Glen Miller said of his team's 62-58 loss. "And our big guys overreacted and stepped up too high, which led to some easy baskets down low."

But at least the Red and Blue may not have to deal with starting point guard Tasheed Carr, who has averaged 11.8 points per game. The junior sprained his ankle Monday night and didn't make the trip for the Hawks' game at Charlotte Wednesday. He is listed as questionable for tomorrow's game.

Also questionable is one of Penn's point guards, Harrison Gaines. The freshman - who missed several games over winter break - re-injured his hamstring in the win over NJIT and sat out the loss against La Salle.

Miller was not sure yesterday if Gaines would be able to practice, but said it was still a possibility that he would get some playing time tomorrow.

In the games that he did play, Gaines was inconsistent but managed to spark the Quakers. He also did a good job of taking care of the ball, something unexpected for a freshman.

Whether Gaines returns or not, the Quakers' point guard play will have to improve. Backups Kevin Egee and Aron Cohen have not stepped up, and Penn has averaged nearly 19 turnovers per game - far too many if the Quakers hope to stay with the Hawks.

"We don't have much margin for error, so we can't have turnovers," Miller said.

"We have to change sides of the floor more on offense and just be efficient with our passing."

Yet the biggest obstacle the Penn needs to overcome may be its own collective mentality. The disappointment of the season has taken its toll on the team.

"I think guys are a little down right now, maybe lacking a little confidence," captain Brian Grandieri said.

"I think we definitely can beat [the Hawks] and I hope guys understand we can."

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