The 2017-18 season has arrived for the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team, and for the second-straight year the Quakers will tip things off on the road. Penn, winners of two-straight Ivy League championships, will seek to avenge an early season loss from a year ago to the Binghamton Bearcats, traveling to Upstate New York in hopes of becoming 1-0 for the first time since 2011.
 
In the Series vs. Binghamton: 2nd Meeting
The Bearcats and the Quakers met for the first time last year, on Nov. 16, 2016 at The Palestra. Binghamton overwhelmed Penn from the opening tip and led wall-to-wall en-route to a 61-48 victory, pushing the Quakers to 0-2 on the year. Michelle Nwokedi led the way with 17 points and 10 rebounds for Penn, but it was not enough as the Quakers coughed up the ball a season-high 22 times. The loss was the first to a team from the America East Conference in Coach Mike McLaughlin's tenure with the Red and Blue, dropping his overall record against the league to 5-1.
 
Catching the Game
Fans can watch the matchup on ESPN3. Live stats can be found at BUBearcats.com, while live Twitter updates will also be available (@PennWBB). A complete recap, box score and highlights can be found at PennAthletics.com shortly after the conclusion of the game.
 
Season Openers
Due to tough matchups against high profile teams, Penn has been on the losing end of things in recent season openers. Under Mike McLaughlin, the Quakers are 2-6 in their first game of the year, and have lost their last five. The Red and Blue have squared up against Duke in each of the past two seasons to open the year, coming up short in both contests, including last year at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Penn's last season-opening victory came in overtime, 70-61, over St. Francis Brooklyn on Nov. 13, 2011, while the last win on the road to start the year came at Elon in 2007.
 
Watch Out for Nwokedi
As the defending Ivy League Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the Ivy League Tournament, it's no secret that Michelle Nwokedi enters this season on the radar not just among the Ancient Eight, but nationally as well. Earlier this month, Nwokedi was placed on the inaugural Katrina McClain Award watch list to recognize the top power forward in women's NCAA Division I basketball. Nwokedi is one of just 20 players around the country selected for this list by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
 
Nwokedi's offensive prowess has certainly been key for Penn's success over the years, as the native Texan has led the squad in scoring 35 times in her three seasons, but not to be overlooked is her ability on the defensive end. Nwokedi currently ranks second all-time in program history with 236 career blocks, behind recently graduated Sydney Stipanovich, while sitting third in the same category in the Ivy League. Last season, Nwokedi swatted 87 shots, ranking second-most for a single season in Penn laurels.
 
Power Six History
Penn has traditionally played a challenging non-conference schedule since Mike McLaughlin took the helm in 2009-10, and that trend continues this season. In fact, the Quakers have played four non-conference top-15 teams in the last six seasons (#3 Notre Dame in 2011-12, #5 Notre Dame in 2013-14, #4 Tennessee 2014-15, and #14 Duke in 2015-16). Among the non-league foes, Penn has scheduled its share of teams from the power six conferences. En route to the Ivy title in 2013-14, the Quakers earned their first-ever win over an ACC opponent with a dramatic 67-66 win at Miami (Fla). Other power conference opponents in McLaughlin's tenure include Northwestern, Iowa State, Virginia, and Duke as well as the annual Big 5 matchups with Villanova and Temple.  
 
This season, Penn is set to battle two ACC foes in the non-conference, including another highly touted matchup with top-five Notre Dame at The Palestra and the first game since 1983 against Georgia Tech, scheduled to take place in the Bahamas as part of the Junkanoo Jam. As part of the in-season tournament, the Quakers might also get a chance to play perennial power Baylor folowing their contest with the Yellow Jackets.
 
Magic Number: 60
The statistic that may most indicate a Penn win or loss? 60 points. Penn has won 67 straight regular season games when scoring at least 60 points. Since head coach Mike McLaughlin took over at Penn, the Quakers are 97-10 (.906) when they reach that number (69-2 over the last four seasons, the only losses coming in the NCAA Tournament to Texas A&M in 2017 and Texas in 2014). In comparison, the Quakers are just 36-90 (.285) when they've scored less than 60 points under Coach McLaughlin. The trend continues defensively. Over the last seven seasons, the Red and Blue are 25-45 (.357) when allowing more than 60 points. But when holding opponents under that number, the Quakers hold a healthy winning record of 106-29 (.785).
 
A Penn Win Would...
... make the Quakers 1-0 for the first time since 2011-12.
... mark the eighth in the last nine games dating back to last season.
... be the first against Binghamton.
 
All-Time Wins Leader
Coach Mike McLaughlin became Penn's all-time wins leader, surpassing Lois Ashley's mark of 128 wins in 12 seasons with his 129th win at Dartmouth (3/3/17). The head man now sits with an all-time record of 133-100 (.571) at Penn. In addition, McLaughlin earned the 500th win in his career during the 2015-16 season, and currently ranks 26th among active Division I coaches with 540 victories.
 
Stingy Defense
Over the years, Penn has developed into one of the nation's most consistent defensive squads, holding its opposition to an average of 60 points or less to finish the year for seven-straight seasons. Last season, the Quakers ended the year ranked third in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 52.1 points per game.
 
Winning Seasons
The last five seasons have produced five of the six winningest seasons in school history. Before Coach McLaughlin, Penn had won 18 or more games only twice in its history, but has now done so in five straight seasons.
 
Non-Conference Success
Prior to Coach McLaughlin, the Quakers had won nine non-league games only once in program history, but have done so in four of the last five years. Last season, Penn continued its school record with its sixth straight season at .500 or better against non-league competition.
 
Ivy League Success
Last year marked the fourth-straight season that Penn won 11 or more Ivy League games, including the second year in a row that the Quakers tallied 13 victories gainst the Ancient Eight. Prior to that, Penn had won 11 or more Ivy League games only twice in its entire history. The program record was set in 2000-01 when the Quakers went undefeated at 14-0.
 
McLaughlin's Magic Touch
Behind the fastest coach to win 400 games in women's basketball history (at any level), the Quakers have steadily improved their record under head coach Mike McLaughlin. After a 2-26 campaign in his first year along The Palestra sidelines, Penn has won 11, 13, 18, 22, 21, 24, and 22 games in succession during his next seven years. In addition, a player from Penn has captured Ivy League Player of the Year three of the last four years, Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year three of the last four years, Ivy League Rookie of the Year two of the last four years, and Coach McLaughlin has earned the past two Ivy League Coach of the Year honors.