PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team smothered Hartford on the defensive end and raced away to a 74-46 win on Monday night at The Palestra.
The Quakers turned the Hawks over 25 times – the most against a Division I opponent under Coach Mike McLaughlin – and, for the fourth time this season, kept the opposition under 50 points.
On the offensive end, Kayla Padilla once again paced the Red and Blue with 20 points, her third 20-point game to start the season and Phoebe Sterba joined the freshman in double figures with 11 points on three made 3-pointers.
PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Penn allowed just five first-quarter points, matching the fewest allowed in a quarter this season. In the third, Hartford scored just six more.
*Hartford managed just 46 points, the fourth time this season Penn has kept opponents under 50 points.
*The Hawks shot just 28.3 percent from the field; Penn is 61-2 under Coach Mike McLaughlin when holding opponents under 30 percent shooting.
*When allowing 49 points or less under McLaughlin, the Quakers are now 92-5.
*The Red and Blue forced 25 turnovers, the most against a D-I opponent under McLaughlin.
*Penn has kept opponents under 68 points in 126 of its last 131 games and all six to start this season.
*Kayla Padilla recorded her third 20-point game, piling up exactly 20 against Hartford on a very efficient shooting night, going 8-for-11 from the field and 2-for-3 from deep.
*Phoebe Sterba knocked down three 3-pointers herself to join Padilla in double figures with 11.
*Kennedy Suttle crashed the glass once again, gobbling up six rebounds to go with seven points.
*Eleah Parker swatted away a season-high four shots.
*When scoring at least 70 points, Penn is now 45-3 under McLaughlin.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Eleah Parker and Kayla Padilla each converted baskets before Hartford earned its first point. From there, Penn continued what became a 12-1 spurt to open the game that included 3-pointers from both Phoebe Sterba and Kendall Grasela. Hartford's first field goal came 4:04 into the game, closing to 12-3 before the Quakers answered with nine straight points, propelled by a three from Padilla. The second Penn run extended the lead to 21-5 after the opening 10 minutes, creating what turned into an insurmountable buffer. Hartford's five points matched the fewest that the Quakers have allowed in a quarter this season; Penn has now allowed just five in a quarter three times.
The Quakers picked up right where they left off in the second quarter with layups from Suttle and Parker before Hartford dug in and punched back. Over the next 2:08, the Hawks busted out to a 9-0 run to close within 25-14. At that point, Padilla jumped into a passing lane and took it the length of the court for an easy layup.
With 4:34 remaining in the half, though, Hartford closed within single digits for the first time since 12-3 with consecutive buckets before Penn quickly answered with the final five points of the half, taking a 32-18 lead into the half. Padilla had four of those five points, raising her total to 13 at the break.
The Red and Blue started quick in the third quarter as Padilla and Sterba canned long balls in the first 28 seconds, part of an 8-0 spurt within the first minute. After four Hawks points, Sterba drilled another three and then Penn finished the period on a fatal 11-0 run, holding Hartford scoreless for the final 4:26; the Quakers led 56-24 after three quarters.
Penn's 24-6 advantage in the third exemplifies its dominance outside of the halftime break. Through the first six games of the year, the Quakers have outscored opponents 116-65 in third quarters and have limited them to 11 points or less in five of the six contests.
Seven different Quakers scored in the final 10 minutes, combining for 18 points as Penn closed out a 74-46 win at The Palestra.
UP NEXT?
On Wednesday, Penn resumes Big 5 play at Tom Gola Arena with La Salle. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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