Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - After two games on the road to start the season, Penn returned to The Palestra on Saturday night and home cooking resulted in the Quakers' first win of the season. Penn broke open what was an eight-point game at the half and pulled away for an 83-62 win over the Hawks.

It was a tale of two halves as far as the scoring went. A defensive first half ended with the Quakers ahead in a 26-18 game, after both teams shot less than 30 percent. The bright spot was sophomore Tyler Bernardini's 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting.

The lids came off in the second half, with both teams shooting above 50 percent. The Quakers went at a 65.6-percent clip to score 57 points in the half -- the most since they dropped 58 in the second half against Florida Gulf Coast during the 2006-07 season -- while the Hawks amped up their scoring with 44 points thanks in large part to Mike Myers Keitt's 16 second-half points. 

Bernardini led all players with 22 points and went 3-of-6 from three-point range. Three other Quakers reached double figures -- seniors Brennan Votel and Kevin Egee scored 14 points apiece, and sophomore Remy Cofield came off the bench to add 12.

Freshman point guard Zack Rosen scored five points and added five assists with no turnovers; he now has 13 assists without a turnover in the last two games. Sophomore Conor Turley led Penn's rebounding with eight off the bench.

As an added bonus to Penn fans, Saturday's game also marked senior Tommy McMahon's return to the lineup for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign. McMahon played 10 minutes Saturday and recorded four points and two rebounds.

Penn forced Monmouth into 26 turnovers, which was a high for an opponent in the two-plus seasons Glen Miller has been head coach of the Quakers. In addition, the Quakers came up with 16 steals, which was also a Miller-era high for the program.

Monmouth's Travis Taylor had a double-double, picking up 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Myers Keitt led the Hawks with 20 points.

With the win Penn improved its record to 1-2 on the season. The Quakers will host Penn State Tuesday at the Palestra at 7:30 p.m. in the second game of the men's-women's doubleheader.