Lycoming News

The University of Pennsylvania men's basketball team is set to conclude its 2024-25 season with a significant matchup against Princeton on Saturday. The game, scheduled for 2 p.m. at Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton, New Jersey, will be broadcast on ESPN+ and available for listening through the Quaker Audio Network.

The Quakers, holding an 8-18 record overall and 4-9 in the Ivy League, have a chance to influence the league standings by potentially preventing Princeton from advancing to the Ivy League Tournament. For this to happen, Penn must defeat Princeton while Dartmouth beats Harvard and Brown overcomes Yale. In any other scenario, Princeton secures the fourth seed in the tournament.

Currently, Yale has clinched the top seed in the tournament, with Dartmouth and Cornell also confirmed participants as the second and third seeds. This weekend's games will finalize which team gets a higher seed position.

This marks the 252nd meeting between Penn and Princeton, with Penn leading the series 226-225. In their last encounter on February 7 at The Palestra, Princeton narrowly won 61-59 after Jackson Hicke's successful free throws in the final seconds. Notably absent from that game was Penn's leading scorer Ethan Roberts due to injury.

The Quakers' recent performances include standout contributions from players like Nick Spinoso and Sam Brown. Both have been pivotal in recent games, with Brown maintaining a streak of scoring double figures in all Ivy League matches this season.

Penn has faced challenges throughout this season with multiple starting lineup changes due to injuries and other factors. Despite these challenges, key players like Roberts have continued to deliver strong performances.

As both teams prepare for their final regular-season showdown at Jadwin Gymnasium, fans can expect an intense game given its potential implications for postseason play.