PHILADELPHIA - It took 50 minutes of gameplay to determine a winner, but unfortunately for the University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team, the Quakers were edged 75-71 in double overtime by Big 5 rival La Salle in their home opener Monday. With the loss, the Red and Blue drop to 0-2 on the year.

PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Max Rothschild finished the game with his best statistical performance since his freshman year with 14 points and 11 rebounds, his second career double-double and first since Feb. 6, 2016 against Harvard. His 14 points are the most since March 4, 2016 and his 11 rebounds are the most since March 5, 2016. 

*Ryan Betley tied for the team lead in points with 14 on 6-for-12 shooting.

*For the second time this season, Penn excelled in taking care of the ball, owning single-digit turnovers with just seven against the Explorers. Alternatively, the Quakers forced La Salle into 17 miscues that led to 18 points for the Red and Blue.

*A handful of Quakers played career highs in minutes with the game pushing into double overtime, including Betley (46), AJ Brodeur (46), Darnell Foreman (44), Rothschild (38), and Antonio Woods (41).

*Penn featured balance scoring from its core, with all of the starters scoring in double figures. 

*La Salle won the battle of the boards, 53-40. After Rothschild's 11, Foreman grabbed eight rebounds. 

*For the second time in as many games, Penn struggled from the field, shooting just 34 percent including 25 percent from behind the arc.

*Monday's contest marked the fourth overtime game in the Donahue era at Penn, with the Quakers dropping each. There were 12 lead changes and 10 ties in the game.

*The double overtime battle was the first for the Quakers since Feb. 5, 2011, a one-point loss to Harvard. It was the first double overtime Big 5 game since Feb. 9, 1983 against Temple. Penn moves to 6-8 in overtime games against Big 5 foes. 

*Dating back to last season, Penn has gone into overtime in two of its last three contests.

*B.J. Johnson led the way for the Explorers with 20 points and 14 rebounds as four players from La Salle finished in double figures. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a half of runs in the opening 20 minutes between the Quakers and Explorers, as the majority of scoring from both teams came in spurts, with intermittent droughts in between. La Salle got on the board first on a three-pointer from Saul Phiri, but Penn responded with a 6-0 run brought on by stingy defense. The Quakers forced three early turnovers, converting them with shots from Brodeur, Woods and Rothschild in the early going. La Salle then responded with a 6-0 run of its own before the teams began to trade baskets both ways, heading into the second media timeout knotted at 13-13.
 
The Explorers burst out of the timeout on an 8-0 run, taking advantage of Penn's cold shooting as the Quakers had no field goals for more than three minutes. Caleb Wood broke the scoring drought, draining a three, followed by another long distance shot from Woods as part of a 7-0 Penn response to draw within 21-20. The first half see-saw continued however, as La Salle shot right back with a 7-0 run of its own, capped by a three in transition. The Quakers again found themselves unable to generate a flow on offense, going 4:40 without a field goal before Wood again saved the day, burying a three-pointer to end the 9-1 run from the Explorers. Penn's defense stiffened in the waning seconds, forcing two-straight La Salle turnovers to go into the locker room down only 30-26.

The second half was a back-and-forth affair, as up to the midway point of the period both squads traded baskets, alternating between a two and four-point game in favor of La Salle. Rothschild proved to be a key cog on offense during that stretch for the Red and Blue, scoring six points to keep the Quakers within shouting distance. Momentum began to swing the way of the Quakers around the 10-minute mark, beginning with a three-pointer in transition from Betley to give Penn a 41-40 lead, its first since the score was 6-5. The Explorers answered right back, however, and the teams kept trading the lead as the minutes wound down. Rothschild's best move of the night came with seven minutes remaining, as he spun around and kissed a shot off the glass for a 47-44 Penn advantage.

Penn held La Salle scoreless for a key stretch of 5:21 in the second half, but couldn't take advantage offensively, and the Explorers returned the favor to take a 48-47 lead with five minutes to go. A dramatic spell of minutes would ensue for both teams, as Brodeur got fouled on a shot beyond the arc and sank all three free throws after a timeout to give Penn a 50-48 lead with 3:48 left. That would be the last time Penn would score in regulation, however, as La Salle stole the ball and stormed down the court, following up a missed layup with a tip-in to tie things at 50-50 with 75 seconds remaining. Penn had two chances on offense within the final minute, but missed shots from Rothschild and Woods, while La Salle rimmed out a three-pointer, sending the game to overtime.

Neither team could find any separation in the first extra session. La Salle grabbed the early advantage, at one point leading 54-52 before a Brodeur floater evened things up. After the Explorers committed an offensive foul, the Quakers got the ball back and converted for the lead with a shot off the glass from Foreman, making it 56-54. La Salle again evened things up, before Woods hit a floater in the lane with just 90 seconds remaining. Needing one stop, the Red and Blue couldn't find it, as La Salle's Johnson hit a hook shot to tie the game at 58-58 with 41.8 seconds remaining. Foreman had a chance to grab a late lead for the Quakers, but couldn't find the bottom of the net, while the Explorers launched a deep three that hit the front rim and out, sending the game into double overtime. 

Penn grabbed the first lead in the period with two free throws from Rothschild--the second coming after two La Salle lane violations nullified missed free throws by the junior--before La Salle again evened things up at 60-60. Woods nabbed 1-of-2 free throws for a 61-60 lead, its last of the night before Amar Stukes took over for the Explorers. The La Salle guard first hit two free throws for a 62-61 lead, then hit a floater in the lane after a Woods miss to give the visitors a three-point lead. The game remained close for the remaining minutes, but the Explorers were able to keep Penn at arms length. The Quakers got as close as 72-70 with just over five seconds remaining after a three from Wood, but La Salle sealed the game on two free throws from Isiah Deas.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Penn returns to The Palestra in less than 48 hours for a 7 p.m. tip on Wednesday, Nov. 15 against Navy.