PHILADELPHIA – A first-half three-point frenzy highlighted a blistering victory for the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team on Thursday night in The Palestra, cruising to a 78-44 decision over St. Francis Brooklyn to extend its win streak to four games.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*A pair of 20-point performances led the offense for the game, while 13 different Quakers scored.
 
*Junior Jordan Obi dropped in 20 points to go with a game-high 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season and eighth of her career. She went 8-for-16 from the floor with two three-pointers, while adding four assists.
 
*Senior captain Kayla Padilla also had 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting, six of which were from beyond the arc and all in the first half. The sharpshooter is inching toward her 1,000-point milestone, now just 15 away. She added a game-high five assists, leading the team this season with 36.
 
*Senior captain Mandy McGurk chipped in eight points while tying her career high in assists for the third time this season, dishing out a game-high six.
 
*Freshman Simone Sawyer and junior Floor Toonders rounded out the impressive starting five play in other ways, as Sawyer had a game-high three steals and Toonders pulled in eight rebounds to go with three assists.
 
*Off the bench, Sydnei Caldwell gave a +16 efficiency off six points on 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, including hitting one off an assist from her sister, freshman Saniah Caldwell.
 
*Freshmen Georgia Heine, Helena Lasic and Isabel Gomez all joined the scoring, each registering their first collegiate points. Heine drilled a three from the wing, Lasic secured an offensive board and had a strong putback, and Gomez went 2-for-2 at the free-throw line.
 
*Penn's 15 three-pointers are the most in a single game during the McLaughlin era and through the 2000s. Of the 15, 11 were dropped in the first half, eight in the first quarter. It was the third time this season with double-digit three-pointers.
 
*Another unselfish outing for the Quakers, recording 21 assists. It's the third game in the last four with 20-plus assists.
 
*Defensively, Penn had 12 steals, the second-highest mark of the season only behind 13 at La Salle. It's the third game out of the last four with double-digit steals.
 
How It Happened
The Quakers wasted no time in this game, jumping out to a quick 9-0 start in the opening two minutes, ultimately forcing the Terriers into an early timeout. A pair of Obi layups bookended a three by Sawyer and a finish by Padilla.
 

1Q 7:44 | Penn 9, SFC 0

Little over two minutes in and the Quakers are firing on all cylinders! Quick nine points including four by Obi.#FightOnPenn pic.twitter.com/MNUZjSx3KD

— Penn WBB (@PennWBB) December 9, 2022

Out of the break, SFC scored its first bucket on a three, but was quickly followed by an and-one by Obi to jump the lead back to nine.
 
Sawyer's initial three in the 9-0 stretch was later continued by Padilla at the 6:04 mark, drilling her first of six for the evening to push Penn ahead by 10. It sparked a quarter that was raining shots from beyond the arc, as the score ballooned to as much as 24 before the end of the frame with eight three-pointers. Over the course of the final four minutes of the first quarter, the Quakers had five straight threes: two from Obi and one each from Padilla, Sawyer, and McGurk.
 
The scoring slowed down slightly in the second frame, with Penn securing an 11-6 quarter. Of those 11 points, nine came from the hot hand of Padilla, draining three more from deep to carry 20 points into the locker room. The Quakers led at the break, 46-17.
 

2Q 6:40 | Penn 40, SFC 13

Just out her having fun! Padilla drills her FOURTH three of the game, and she's up to 14 points in 15 minutes of play. Quakers shooting 52.9% from beyond the arc.#FightOnPenn pic.twitter.com/My7m85o6W3

— Penn WBB (@PennWBB) December 9, 2022

 
The scoring high was mellowed out after a slow start to the third quarter, as the Terriers hit eight straight points to force Penn into a timeout by the 6:17 mark. However, the 29-point lead for Penn at the half was a deficit SFC couldn't overcome.
 
The break was useful for Penn, with McGurk hitting a floater in the paint then later Silke Milliman added a layup to kick off a 5-0 stretch. 
 
In the final frame, the Quaker bench kept the momentum alive, outscoring the Terriers, 19-11. Caldwell opened the quarter with back-to-back threes before we saw first collegiate points from Heine, Lasic and Gomez.
 

4Q 7:15 | Penn 65, SFC 33

Sister to Sister.... Saniah Caldwell gives out the assist to Sydnei Caldwell, drilling the three from the left wing!#FightOnPenn pic.twitter.com/UKhBrkg1AE

— Penn WBB (@PennWBB) December 9, 2022

 
Up Next
The Quakers wrap up their three-game week on Sunday back in The Palestra, hosting Temple for the final Big 5 matchup of the season. Tip is set for noon.