In an unexpected turn of events, the Penn Quakers were able to stave off Villanova’s late run en route to stunning the 21st-ranked Wildcats by a final score of 76-72. Monday’s win marks Penn’s second victory in the last three encounters with the ‘Cats at the Palestra. This triumph for Penn comes as a significant upset, highlighting its strategic prowess.
The loss for Villanova is particularly notable, as it fails to start the season 3-0 for the fifth consecutive year. A key factor in Penn’s victory was their hustle on the glass, an area where they outperformed the Wildcats with notable tenacity and edged the Wildcats, 39-34.