The Quakers’ comeback fell short to the Big Green in a 73-70 loss.
In a deflating loss to the Ivy League’s weakest opponent from the 2023-24 season, the Red and Blue (4-10, 0-1 Ivy) were careless on both sides of the ball. Leading in turnovers committed while failing to rebound will sink any team, especially one that has failed to find an offensive identity 14 games into the season.
“We were really sloppy early, not ready to go in terms of understanding that on the road, [we need] to take care of the basketball,” coach Steve Donahue said. “At the beginning, it was turnovers and offensive rebounds. At the end of the game, it was turnovers and offensive rebounds.” Penn turned the ball over 16 times.
In its first game of the new year, Penn had to shake off the rust from a nearly two-week break from play. The rust showed on the offensive end. Penn committed five turnovers within the first five minutes and trailed early, 10-2. Dartmouth (7-7, 1-0) kept punishing the Red and Blue and led by as much as 11 points — eight from forward Brandon Mitchell-Day and 12 from guard Ryan Cornish.
But then the Red and Blue turned a corner to change the momentum.
It was kickstarted by senior forward/center Nick Spinoso, who used his court vision to find junior guard/forward Michael Zanoni on the cut. Zanoni, coming off a career night at Penn State, later drilled Penn’s only three-pointers of the half to contribute to the run.
Then sophomore guard Sam Brown, who came off the bench this game, went straight to the basket twice. Brown did a little bit of everything during the game, finishing with 12 points, three assists, and seven rebounds — three of which were offensive.
“Coming off the bench gave him a little bit of time to feel the ground,” Donahue said. “And that’s obviously the Sam Brown we need going forward.”
After forcing another missed shot, freshman guard AJ Levine took it all the way to give Penn its first lead at 31-29. The Quakers closed the half on an 18-5 scoring run, despite nine turnovers.
However, Dartmouth opened the second half with a response. Mitchell-Day put his team on his back and scored seven straight to finish with a career-high 25 points.
Spinoso wouldn’t go down without a fight, though. On three offensive possessions in a row, he put his back to the basket and bullied Mitchell-Day. Spinoso owned the paint — scoring 12 of his 16 points there. His baskets clawed the Quakers back into striking distance, who were now down 41-37 with just over 13 minutes left in the second frame.
From then on, it wasn’t about who could go on the best run. It was about who had the most grit.
The two teams traded baskets and the lead. With a handful of minutes left in the half, the Red and Blue and Big Green were tied 58-58. The referees then called an offensive foul against Spinoso for his screen against Dartmouth forward Cade Haskins, who hit the floor. Spinoso and Haskins got into each other’s faces, shouting words at each other until they were separated. Both were punished with technical fouls.
“They’re two guys that have gone against each other for four years. Both of them are good competitors,” Donahue said. “You want to get into the top four [of the Ivy League standings]. You got to battle. And that’s what you see: a level of intensity that maybe you don’t think about in the preseason, but you recognize it once you get into league play.”
A few plays later, junior guard/forward Ethan Roberts also got called for an offensive foul while setting a screen. But a few possessions later, and despite zero points in the first half, he drilled a three to bring the score to 70-67 — with Penn down by just three and less than a minute on the clock.
The Quakers’ defense was a fortress during the Big Green’s last possession. With the seconds draining away, Cornish drove to the basket to beat the shot clock but Spinoso met him at the rim. The Big Green got the ball back, but Mitchell-Day was forced to throw up a shot.
With 10 seconds left, Levine pushed up the court to tie the game. But he got his pocket picked, and Penn had to foul.
Cornish, who finished with 24 points, split his shots at the line to give Dartmouth what felt like a game-sealing lead at 71-67. But Dartmouth committed a near-fatal mistake at the end, fouling Zanoni from beyond the arc. Zanoni walked to the line with three points on the table.
He nailed his first. And then his second.
Now down 71-69, Donahue called a timeout and sent in freshman forward Bradyn Foster in, who had been sitting the whole game. With the game on the line, Zanoni made his third free throw.
“We didn’t tell him to make it. He tried to miss it without missing the rim — you got to hit the rim,” Donahue said.
Donahue hoped that the ball would bounce off the rim and allow Foster or Spinoso to secure an offensive rebound, but the shot fell through the net.
After a foul by Brown, Cornish went back to the line to build his team’s lead to 73-70. With two seconds on the clock, Roberts took another three like he had just minutes earlier — but this one didn’t go in.
For the first time in four weeks, Penn will return to the Palestra to play against Cornell in its Ivy home opener on Jan. 18.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate
