PRINCETON, N.J. - It was a tough night on offense for the University of Pennsylvania (15-6, 6-2 Ivy) women's basketball team, as the Quakers dropped a 60-40 decision on the road at Princeton. The Quakers drop into second place in the Ancient Eight with the loss. 

PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Anna Ross led Penn with 14 points, while fellow senior Michelle Nwokedi chipped in 12. Nwokedi came just short of a double-double on the night, finishing with nine rebounds. 

*Despite the score differential, the Quakers won the turnover battle, 15-9. Penn scored 12 points off Princeton's miscues. 

*Lauren Whitlatch hit one 3-pointer on the night, her 14th-straight game making a shot from deep. 

*The 40 points marked a season-low for the Red and Blue and the lowest scoring output for Penn since a 50-32 loss at Villanova on Jan. 17, 2012. 

*In a season that has seen record numbers from behind the arc, the Quakers couldn't find their 3-point shot on Tuesday, going just 2-for-17. 

*Penn scored just three points in the fourth quarter, its lowest output since the inception of quarters in women's college basketball two years ago. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Ivy League's top-two defenses played up to their billing early on, as each team struggled offensively in the opening moments of the first quarter. Uncharacteristically, Penn struggled to take care of the ball in the first quarter, leading to easy buckets for the Tigers as they gained an early lead. After Penn took a brief 7-6 lead on a layup from Nwokedi, Princeton responded with a 7-0 run. Ross and Nwokedi combined to keep the Quakers close at the end of one, as Penn was down just three points, 18-15, despite four turnovers.

The Tigers shot out in the second quarter, going on an 8-0 run and holding the Quakers scoreless until the 6:16 mark of the period. A jumper from Ross ended the drought for the Red and Blue, but another one would start for nearly five minutes before a 3-pointer from Beth Brzozowski. Penn was outscored 16-5 in the period, giving Princeton a 14-point edge at the break.

Penn's defense came out strong in the third period, allowing the Quakers to gain some flow offensively to cut into the Princeotn lead. A block on defense ignited freshman Eleah Parker, who then hit her first field goal of the night on the other end, as part of an 8-3 run for the Red and Blue. Ross was the main catalyst on offense for the visitors, but Princeton was able to respond to Penn's aggression, pushing the lead back out to double figures. Despite the up and down play, Penn found itself down just nine with 10 minutes to go.

The fourth quarter saw Penn unable to produce on offense, as the period began on a 3-pointer from Bella Alarie, who connected after a broken play on offense. It would be all Tigers from then on out, putting an end to a frustrating performance from the field for the Red and Blue. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
The Quakers continue their five-game road swing with a trip to New York, first facing Columbia on Friday, Feb. 16 at 4:00 p.m before a matchup at Cornell the following day.