PROVIDENCE, R.I. - In a game where it seemed the Quakers could never quite find their footing, the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team fell short to Providence in the second round of the WNIT, 64-54. The loss ends Penn's season at 24-7, in a year where the Quakers won their sixth Ivy League regular season championship.

PENN NEWS AND NOTES
*Penn's 24 wins on the year tie a program record, first set in 2015-16.

*The senior duo of Princess Aghayere and Ashley Russell posted a valiant effort in the final game of their careers, each scoring 15 points, while Aghayere tied a personal best with 12 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the year. Russell dished four assists, pushing her single season total to 128, ranking third in program history.

*Penn finished with six 3-pointers, including three from Russell. It was the first game this season Penn lost when hitting at least six threes.

*Kristen Daley and Deja Jackson each checked in for the final time for the Quakers. Daley hit a key bucket off the glass as part of a third-quarter run for Penn.

*Eleah Parker saw her double-digit scoring streak end at 26, finishing with six points. The Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year posted five blocks, finishing with 99, tying the program's single-season record previously held by Sydney Stipanovich.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Quakers battled a deadly combination on offense all night, struggling to score and uncharacteristically turning the ball over. Energy from Aghayere helped keep Penn alive early on, as an and-one tied the game at 9-9 before Providence scored the final four points of the opening quarter.

The second quarter saw more struggles offensively but a 3-pointer from Russell followed by two free throws from Aghayere kept the Quakers clawing around, down just 19-18 nearly halfway through the second quarter. Penn would score just once in the final 6:05 of the half, as the Friars spurted out for a 10-2 run, including a buzzer-beating putback, to hold a 29-20 lead at the break. The 20 first half points tied a season low for the Red and Blue. 

Things got off to an inauspicious start in the second half as well, as Providence pushed out to an 11-point advantage on two occasions, before the Quakers put the clamps down on defense and found some rhythm offensively. Penn would surge back on a 10-0 run, holding the Friars scoreless the final 5:21 of the quarter and using buckets from Aghayere, Daley, Russell and Grasela to fight back within one, at 38-37.

Chances were had in the fourth quarter, as Penn had the ball with several opportunities to either score or tie the game, but costly turnovers offensively and timely 3-pointers from Providence's Nogic, combined with free throws late, were enough to bury the Quakers' comeback bid.