Penn heading ‘in the right direction’ with victory over Columbia, extends win streak to two

Last week after a loss to Cornell, Penn men’s basketball coach Steve Donahue said that the Quakers needed “to learn how to win.”

His team has responded, winning their last two including a commanding victory against Columbia on Saturday.

Penn (6-11, 2-2 Ivy) defeated Columbia (11-6, 0-4 Ivy) 93-78 at the Palestra. Everything was clicking for Penn, who now sit even in Ivy League play, after a pitiful start to the season. Open shots fell, they held their own defensively, and the team was noticeably energized — something they lacked in previous outings.

“It’s really difficult when you’re in the moment and you’re sliding a little bit on a couple losses, nonconference. Luckily, I’ve been through that before,” said senior guard George Smith. “So has Coach Donahue in my sophomore year. We’re used to it, we know how to get out of it. I think we’re starting to head in the right direction.”

Penn’s 18 made three-pointers marked a program record against a Division I opponent. Entering Saturday, the Quakers ranked last in three-point percentage in the Ivy League. They made more than half of their attempts from deep on Saturday (51.4%).

“I thought it was a matter of time,” Donahue said of the team’s shooting. “But the offense was still clunky. It wasn’t what it needed to be. I think now our guys understand where the ball should go, and that’s the beauty of basketball. It takes a little bit of chemistry, and it’s not a science. It’s a bit of an art.”

For the Lions, Saturday’s loss marks their fifth in a row, and notably, their leading scorer, senior guard Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa, exited the game with an injury in the second half.

Trading shots with the Lions early, the Quakers found themselves tied 16-16 seven minutes into the game. At this point, neither team had scored in the paint — shots were flying from beyond.

With 13:33 left in the first, Penn freshman point guard AJ Levine made a diving save to keep the possession alive following a missed driving layup. The ball made its way to Smith at the top of the key, who promptly drilled a 3-pointer to take a 19-16 lead.

Smith finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.

Penn started to feel it from deep. The Quakers were averaging 7.8 made three-pointers per game heading into the contest. In the first half, they had already made nine.

Shooting guard Sam Brown, who has struggled in his sophomore season, heated up in the first, scoring 12 points on four of five shots from deep.

However, the Lions came roaring back. Behind starting forward Noah Robledo’s 11 first-half points, Columbia went on a 19-8 run to cut its deficit to 44-42 at the half.

Penn senior center Nick Spinoso got the final twenty started with a bang.

Following a layup on Penn’s first possession of the second half, Spinoso scored the Quaker’s next two off a fastbreak dime from Levine. On the play, Spinoso dunked a one-handed slam over Columbia forward Mason Ritter.

“He’s got to be one of the least athletic guys ever to get so many great dunks,” Donahue said, jokingly.

From there, the Quakers never looked back.

Five minutes into the second, Brown was fouled hard on a corner three, crashing to the ground. The corner heave went in, and Brown made the ensuing free-throw for the four point play to claim a 60-48 lead.

Everything was falling for Penn. Brown, a Lower Merion native and son of former 76ers coach Brett Brown, was electric from deep. He notched career-highs in three-pointers made (eight) and points (30) Saturday.

“Growing up, we all believe in the basketball gods, and we put in ‘X’ amount of work, and you reap the benefit of what you put in,” said Brown.

With 10 minutes remaining, the Quakers had amassed a 20-point lead, while the Lions failed to muster much on offense.

Penn’s leading scorer Ethan Roberts finished with 13 points, while also grabbing 10 boards and assisted on five plays.

Penn has a back-to-back homestand next weekend. First, Brown on Friday (7 p.m., ESPN+) then Yale on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN+).