Cohen | Allen goes small in the paint

With finals knocking on the door of the Penn student body, it seems logical that coach Jerome Allen spent Tuesday’s 71-59 victory over Maryland-Baltimore County testing different lineups.

The game began with the Quakers employing a pretty big front: 6-foot-9 Andreas Schreiber at center, along with Jack Eggleston, Rob Belcore and Tyler Bernardini — all of whom stand at least 6-foot-6.

Penn’s only true guard on the floor was Zack Rosen.

Things were looking up for Allen’s size squad when Schreiber scored the game’s first points on an inside layup.

It looked like the Red and Blue were going to establish an inside presence early, something the team has sorely lacked in recent past.

But then, Schreiber committed a turnover, losing the ball out of bounds.

And Then another.

In the course of the miscues, Retrievers forward Justin Fry picked up two fast lay-ups.

That quickly — two minutes and 58 seconds into the first half — Schreiber and Bernardini were out in favor of smaller respective replacements Fran Dougherty and Miles Cartwright.

Despite starting the game, Schreiber only played seven minutes.

Cartwright — despite coming off the bench — played 27 minutes before leaving the game with a thigh bruise.

Indeed, Allen found a great deal more success working the rock inside playing small-ball than he did with his big lineup on the floor.

Though this may seem counterintuitive to some — that smaller players would be more effective working the ball inside and kicking it out — the strategy’s success is a combination of two factors.

First, Penn’s big men have not been that effective scoring the ball in the paint.

Eggleston was his usual productive self — he posted 17 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals in 38 minutes — but he seems to prefer posting up mid-range to backing his opponents down the lane.

And beyond Jack, the Quakers lack any real threats down low.

Senior Conor Turley is an effective rebounder and competent shooter, but most of his offense comes from cleaning up the glass.

Belcore is the designated stonewall for the opponent’s best player and hasn’t been preoccupied with offense.

Dougherty’s too green and Schreiber — well, you know about him.

But in the absence of big tall trees making buckets, the Quakers have found a way to utilize speed over size.

With Rosen and Cartwright on the floor at the same time — sharing point guard responsibilities — Penn was privy to many more good looks and easy shots.

The slashing threat each guard represents commands defensive pressure; in turn, teammates get open.

“I thought that Penn did a good job of starting to get into the lane on us and kicking out to their shooters,” Retrievers coach Randy Monroe said.

Though Rosen and Cartwright only combined for five total assists, their ability to draw UMBC’s defense was what kept the Red and Blue offense in motion — sometimes so much so as to turn the defenders into spectators.

“We can’t stand and watch,” said Monroe, in reference to his team’s defensive play.

Add Cartwright’s proven ability to throw it down at the rim with the best the Quakers have to offer, and small-ball looks like Penn’s ticket to success.

ELI COHEN is a junior philosophy major from Washington, D.C. He can be contacted at dpsports@theDP.com.

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