PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team will head into finals on a high note, earning a 57-50 victory at Saint Joseph's for its first Big 5 victory of the season Monday evening. The win improves the Quakers to 3-4 on the year and 1-1 in the Big 5, while the Hawks drop to 5-4 and 0-3 among city foes.

PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Freshman Eleah Parker led the way for Penn, notching career-highs in points, rebounds and blocks with 15, eight and four respectively. The rookie went 6-for-11 from the floor, including 3-for-4 at the charity stripe.

*Michelle Nwokedi joined Parker in double-figures with 14, pushing the senior into eighth all-time at Penn in career points with 1,226. Nwokedi also swatted two shots on defense, contributing to the six total from the Red and Blue.

*Anna Ross was the key cog on offense yet again for Penn, assisting on five buckets, right at her 4.8 average entering the game.

*Penn's win is the third all-time against the Hawks and the first on the road since 2004. The victory also marked the first Big 5 victory since a win over Temple in 2016 and the 10th Big 5 win for Coach Mike McLaughlin, extending his program record.

*Senior Beth Brzozowski notched a season-high in points with four, helping to ice the game from the free throw line in the waning minutes.

*Monday's game is the first this season that Penn has won despite losing the battle of the boards. The Quakers overcame that deficit with strangling defense, forcing SJU into 17 turnovers, converting those into 19 points.

*The Quakers shot a season-high 43 percent from the field in the victory, notching four three's from four different players.

*For the 73rd time in the past 75 games, Penn held its opponent to 68 points or less.

HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a back-and-forth affair early, but Penn quickly grabbed control at the end of the first quarter, holding the Hawks scoreless for the final 4:24 of the opening period. When the opening 10 minutes concluded, the Quakers held a slim 12-9 lead but went on a 6-0 run to close things out. Penn's defense forced two shot-clock violations in the midst of its defensive run.

The Quakers improved their run to 11-2, but quick foul trouble temporarily stifled Penn from darting away. After SJU scored four straight, the Red and Blue seized complete control on efficient defense and passing, scoring with ease on runouts and set plays from the offensive end. Penn entered the locker room with a 29-22 lead, with Parker owning nine points at the break.

Penn continued its efficiency to open the third quarter, extending the lead to a game-high 12 points midway through the period. Parker asserted her dominance in a key stretch of action, as the first Quaker to enter double-figures while also forcing two Saint Joseph's turnovers on a steal and block. The third quarter ended with a buzzer-beating three from Ross from the left wing, putting Penn up 11 with 10 minutes to play.

Saint Joseph's would retaliate in the final period with a 9-0 run, cutting the lead to 45-43 with just over six minutes remaining. It was gut check time, and the Quakers did just that in the form of senior captain Michelle Nwokedi. The Texas native first connected with Parker in the post to stymie the run, before nailing her first three-pointer of the season followed by a layup to give the Quakers some breathing room. The Penn offense was a direct effect of its defense, as the Quakers held the Hawks scoreless for 4:19 of the fourth quarter after their initial outburst. With time winding down, all Saint Joe's could do was foul, and Brzozowski sealed the deal from the free throw line for the win.

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Quakers will hit the books for the end of the academic semester this week before returning to the hardwood for a Friday matinee on Dec. 22 at 1 p.m., welcoming Rhode Island to The Palestra.