City Six rundown: Penn still in hunt for Ivy playoff berth
PENN Even after losing its first six Ivy League games, Penn is very much in the running for the fourth and final spot in this season's inaugural conference playoff. In fact, none of the eight teams is out of it. Columbia is fourth with a 4-4 mark, and Penn and three others are 2-6.
PENN
Even after losing its first six Ivy League games, Penn is very much in the running for the fourth and final spot in this season's inaugural conference playoff. In fact, none of the eight teams is out of it. Columbia is fourth with a 4-4 mark, and Penn and three others are 2-6.
The Quakers had a big weekend with wins over Columbia and Cornell as 6-foot-4 senior Matt Howard averaged 12 points and 10 rebounds in the wins.
All the Ivy League teams have six games remaining. Penn meets Columbia one more time.
"We absolutely feel we are very much alive," Penn coach Steve Donahue said. "The upcoming games are so critical for everybody, and it makes things more exciting."
Penn is receiving contributions from a variety of source. In Friday's 70-62 win over Columbia, junior forward Sam Jones had a season-high 17 points. In Sunday's 82-63 win over Cornell, freshman guard Ryan Betley had season high 22 points.
COMING UP
Friday at Brown, 8 p.m.
Sunday at Yale, 1 p.m.
TEMPLE
One reason Temple was able to beat Memphis for the second time this season on Sunday was its defense. The Owls scored a 74-62 win at Memphis after beating the Tigers 77-66 on Jan. 25
"Our defensive numbers were good against Memphis, and we hope that can continue," Temple coach Fran Dunphy said.
That was the case in both games. In fact, Memphis was 5 for 19 from three-point range in the loss at Temple and 5 for 20 on Sunday.
Memphis is third in the AAC in scoring, averaging 75.1 points per game. But the Tigers have averaged 64 points in their two losses to Temple.
The other thing that helped Temple was taking care of the ball better. In its previous two games, a win over South Florida and Thursday's 66-50 loss to SMU, Temple committed 16 turnovers in each contest.
On Sunday, Temple cut that total to 10.
COMING UP
Wednesday at East Carolina, 7 p.m.
Sunday vs. Connecticut, 4 p.m.
VILLANOVA
The progress of 6-5 redshirt freshman guard Donte DiVincenzo has taken coach Jay Wright slightly aback.
"I don't think we thought he would be this complete this fast," Wright said.
DiVincenzo is averaging 8.0 points per game. On Monday, he was held to one point on 1-of-6 shooting in the Wildcats' 75-62 win over DePaul. But in the previous three games, he averaged 17.3 points and five rebounds. That included 17 points in Saturday's 73-57 win over then-No. 24 Xavier.
DiVincenzo, a high-flyer, has scored in double figures in 11 games with a season-high 20 points in 28 minutes in the Wildcats' 92-79 win on Feb. 4 over St. John's.
COMING UP
Saturday vs. Seton Hall in Newark, 12:30 p.m.
LA SALLE
Sophomore point guard Pookie Powell has missed the last six games due to a bruised lower leg. He is still listed as day to day, but coach John Giannini understands the longer he is out the more difficult it will be to come back strong.
"He hasn't been able to go full speed or sprint or do anything in a basketball game in [more than] three weeks," Giannini said.
The coach said even if he returns to the court this week he will need to work on his conditioning.
A transfer from Memphis, Powell is averaging 13.1 points and 3.6 assists per game. The Explores are 2-4 without Powell in the lineup.
The Explorers hope that 6-5 redshirt senior Jordan Price (16.5 ppg.) can break a two-game slump during which he has shot 2 for 16 and averaged five points.
COMING UP
Wednesday at St. Bonaventure, 7 p.m.
Saturday vs. St. Joseph's, 4 p.m.
Tuesday vs. Rhode Island, 6 p.m.
ST. JOSEPH'S
The Hawks have lost point guards Shavar Newkirk and Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble to season-ending injuries. Newkirk suffered a knee injury on Dec. 30 and Kimble, a foot injury in Saturday's 87-76 home loss to UMass. The two were averaging a combined 35.3 points per game.
Coach Phil Martelli refuses to keep his head down despite the injuries to his two leading offensive players.
"I appreciate people feeling for us and Fresh and Shavar, but nobody called and said we can cancel and resume play on May 1," Martelli said. "We have to get them ready."
COMING UP
Saturday at La Salle, 4 p.m.
DREXEL
While Drexel has enjoyed its offensive moments, the Dragons have struggled on defense, which is why they find themselves at the bottom of the Colonial Athletic Association standings.
Drexel is last in scoring defense, allowing 79.4 points per game and ninth out of 10 teams in field goal percentage defense (.463).
Since allowing more than 100 points in consecutive games, Drexel has improved over the last three. In those three, the Dragons have allowed an average of 69.9 points.
Drexel is coming off Saturday's 69-65 loss to a Towson team that a week and a half earlier beat the Dragons, 104-103, double overtime decision.
COMING UP
Thursday at Delaware, 7 p.m.
Saturday vs. Elon, 2 p.m.