PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team lost its fourth-straight game on Saturday, falling to 0-3 in Big 5 play with a 78-71 loss to Saint Joseph's at The Palestra.

Penn is now 6-9 overall, while Saint Joseph's – which entered with its own three-game losing streak – improved to 9-9 overall and 1-2 in Big 5 play.

*Saint Joseph's took 43 foul shots and made 31, both opponent highs in the year-plus Steve Donahue coaching era. The Quakers took just 15 free throws, making nine.

*Penn had just 12 turnovers in the game, but it was still nearly double SJU's total (7) which tied an opponent low this season. It was a critical margin, as the Hawks had a 17-4 advantage in points off turnovers.

*For the first time this season, Penn took more three-point field goals (32) than two-point field goals (31).

*Senior Matt Howard recorded his second double-double of the season and the fourth of his career to lead Penn, with 19 points (two shy of his season high) and a career-high 12 rebounds. He also had three assists and two steals.

*Playing his first Big 5 game at Penn, freshman Ryan Betley scored 15 points which was a season/career high. He went 3-of-4 on three-pointers.

*Junior Darnell Foreman had 11 points, his sixth double-figure scoring game of the season, and also had six rebounds and four assists (against just one turnover).

*SJU was led by Lamarr "Fresh" Kimble's 23 points, while Charlie Brown nearly had a double-double (19 points, 9 rebounds).

Penn had an early 10-6 lead, but Saint Joseph's scored seven in a row and went on a 12-2 run to earn early control. The lead ballooned to as much as 15 points, at 31-16, thanks to four free throws in a row from James Demery.

Penn fought back. The Quakers used a 12-1 run, capped by back-to-back three-pointers from Howard and Betley, and then after Chris Clover hit a free throw for the Hawks Howard scored an old-fashioned three-pointer that made the score 33-31. It was 35-31 at the half, but then Penn started the second half with a trey from Caleb Wood and a layup from Howard, and the Quakers had their first lead since early in the game at 36-35.

As soon as Penn got the lead, though, Saint Joseph's regained control. Demery scored the next six points of the game, the start of an 11-2 run that put SJU on top 46-38.

Penn got back within 50-47, and hung around for several minutes after that. However, every time the Red and Blue got a bucket it seemed SJU had an answer to keep the Quakers at bay. The closest Penn got in the final few minutes was 66-62 when Betley hit a trey in front of the Penn bench with 2:44 remaining. 

On the ensuing possession, SJU missed a jumper but Tyler Hamilton was called for a foul on the rebound. Charlie Brown made both shots. At the other end, AJ Brodeur (8 points, 8 rebounds) just missed a layup, and then Jackson Donahue was called for a foul as Kimble took a three-point shot with the shot clock nearing its expiration. The Hawks guard made two of his three foul shots to get it to 70-62, and Penn never got closer than the final score.

Penn closes out non-league and Big 5 play on Wednesday at La Salle, tipping off with the Atlantic-10 Explorers at their Tom Gola Arena at 7 p.m.