Rosen, Bernardini lead Penn to 68-52 win over Army

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Penn's matinee tilt with Army at the IZOD Center didn't come with the glitz or glamor of the game that followed, a rematch of last season's national championship game between Duke and Butler.

It did, however, come with a reward for the Quakers. With Zack Rosen scoring a game-high 20 points and Tyler Bernardini hitting some key late three-pointers, the Quakers pulled away from Army for a 68-52 win.

The victory was Penn's first on the road this season, and it pushed the Quakers above .500, to 4-3 overall, for the first time since opening night.

"If we do all of those little things coming down the stretch, that's how we're going to win ballgames," Quakers coach Jerome Allen said. "We just said we're going to take it one possession at a time, and that would be the most important possession of the game."

The game was tied at halftime, 28-28, but Army (4-4) struggled to score in the second half. The Black Knights made only eight of 28 field goal attempts in the second half, while Penn made 14 of 21.

"I think there's a symbiotic relationship. We were missing shots because Penn's defense was good," Army coach Zach Spiker said.

Bernardini contributed 11 of his 13 points in the second half. Nine came from beyond the arc. He also pulled down five rebounds and recorded two assists, one block and one steal.

The senior guard has battled multiple injuries over the course of his career, and admitted that the strong effort was a sign of his recovery.

"I feel like every day I'm getting a little more adjusted," Bernardini said. "I'm not really trying to compare myself to where I was - this team is very different and I feel like I'm very different."

Allen praised Bernardini for the progress he has made.

"I can't say I'm surprised by what he did tonight, because he's been working very hard," Allen said. "Most people don't have an appreciation for the process, but from being off for almost two years, it's tough to get back in the flow."