In tightly-called game, Quakers get past FT woes

The stats didn't support the outcome tonight.

Penn shot 38.6 percent from the field and Princeton shot 50 percent. Penn converted 17 baskets and Princeton had 24. Penn scored 20 points in the paint and Princeton had 42.

Yet the Quakers still won.

Princeton had a distinct advantage in almost every offensive number but one - free-throw shooting.

The Quakers shot 31-for-36 from the line last night, a remarkable statistic for a group that came into the game shooting an Ivy-worst 64.6 percent.

In a five-point game, a 17-point free-throw differential was the difference.

Penn received 15 more opportunities from the charity stripe, at home, but Princeton coach Sydney Johnson had no complaints.

"I thought the game was called terrifically, to be honest," the first-year coach said.

"It just kind of worked itself out that they went to the line so many times."

Whether or not the officials swayed the game in Penn's favor by granting it 36 free throw attempts, the Quakers deserve credit for converting the chances they were given. Remy Cofield hit all eight of his attempts and Jack Eggleston hit seven of eight. Both are freshmen, but seemed unfazed by the game's significance.

Even Justin Reilly - shooting 64.3 percent coming into the game - and Kevin Egee - at 54.8 percent coming in - combined to go seven-for-nine from the line.

On the other side of things, the Tigers went 14-for-21. That's nearly identical to their season average of 66 percent, sixth in the Ivy League.

While Johnson chose not to point his finger at the officials, it seems strange that two typically finesse teams combined for 52 fouls.

Guard Harrison Gaines picked up four fouls in only seven minutes of action for the Quakers, but foul trouble had a greater effect on the Tigers.

All three members of their starting frontcourt - Zach Finley, Noah Savage and Kyle Koncz - fouled out of the game and missed significant minutes as a result of foul trouble.

The absence of some of the Tigers' bigs contributed to Penn's ability to get into the lane, to which coach Glen Miller attributed the difference in free-throw shooting.

"We continue to struggle shooting the ball so what we have to do is get the ball inside, and that was our game plan," Miller said.

"It got us through the game offensively."

The officials clearly had an effect on the game throughout, and a questionable technical foul call on Savage in the final seconds effectively sealed the game for the Quakers.

With the Tigers inbounding down by three, Savage's elbow connected with Eggleston's midsection. Eggleston doubled-over, but it was unclear whether the contact was incidental.

Nevertheless, the call was made, giving Penn two free throws and possession.

"It's unfortunate the way the game ended," Johnson said. "We felt like it was such a good game. For it to go out that way is too bad."

The Quakers put the contest away when they had the chance from the line.

Eggleston hit one of two, and both Cofield and Michael Kach knocked down both of their attempts down the stretch.

The technical on Savage wasn't the only startling call of the game. Normally mild-mannered Penn senior Brian Grandieri was ejected after being called for two technicals - one in the first half and the other in the final minute of the game when he and Finley received double-technicals during a minor skirmish.

"The first one, no excuse, I would say if the guy didn't give me a technical, he was crazy," said Penn's captain.

"I thought [the second foul] was a little - not needed, but I definitely take blame for that and thank God it didn't cost us."

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