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Max Rothschild's improvement mirrors Penn's this season

02/04/2018, 12:00pm EST
By Zach Drapkin

Max Rothschild (above) has blossemed into one of Penn's most important contributors during the Quakers' breakthrough season. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Zach Drapkin (@ZachDrapkin)
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The Ivy League might have to start adjusting its expectations for Penn.

In the conference’s preseason poll, the Quakers were voted fourth out of eight, significantly behind Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

Five games in, Penn is 5-0 against Ivy competition and sitting alone atop the conference, with wins over Brown and Yale under its belt following the most recent weekend sweep at the Palestra.

It’s too early to say the Quakers are in complete control of the Ancient Eight with Harvard only a game back, but very few people would have predicted this start, especially considering that Penn began the 2017 Ivy slate 0-6 before winning six of their last eight contests to sneak into Ivy Madness.

Max Rothschild, the Quakers’ junior big man, has similarly outperformed expectations.

Before the season, most teams had sophomores A.J. Brodeur and Ryan Betley on their scouting reports for Penn, but Rothschild certainly wouldn’t have been a player to focus on.

The 6-foot-8 Chicago native played only the ninth-most minutes (12.1 mpg) on Penn’s roster in 2016-17, averaging 3.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, and 1.0 apg. The Quakers only graduated wing Matt Howard, so there was no reason to expect a revolutionary change in Rothschild’s production for 2017-18.

And yet, through Penn’s 59-50 win over Yale on Saturday night, Rothschild has started all 21 games and carved out the ‘5’ role all for himself.

Against the Bulldogs, he finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. The night before, he scored 15 in an overtime win over Brown.

He’s averaging 8.5 ppg, 6.6 rpg, and 2.3 apg, and opponents are still stunned when he sneaks by on a screen-and-roll or drops in a jump-hook across the lane. And the numbers don't tell the full story -- Rothschild gets involved in nearly every possession, his passes out of the post often resulting in hockey assists.

Luckily, Rothschild doesn’t have a problem with flying in under the radar.

“I don’t know if they underestimate me. I like taking on that mentality,” he said. “I’m going to come every game prepared and they take it how they want, but that’s my mentality. I like that, being underrated.”

Rothschild has become such an integral part of Penn’s rotation on both ends of the floor that he won’t go unrecognized for much longer.

His high-motor hustle and traditional abilities in the post add another dimension to the lineup, allowing Brodeur to play the stretch-four and boosting size in the paint -- especially after Rothschild simultaneously slimmed down and put on 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason.

“We need Max to make us a better team,” Penn head coach Steve Donahue said. “His defense is incredible. He helps, he recovers, he guards the ball screens and guards the post and he brings that sense of passion that you want. I think guys really need that. He’s fun to coach, he’s a great kid, and I’m really happy that he’s having this kind of success.”

On the offensive glass, Rothschild’s a nightmare. After creating three second chances on Saturday night, he’s up to two offensive rebounds a game, best on the team. On defense, too, he’s solid as a rock. He might be the most underappreciated player in Philadelphia and the Ivy League.

“I think the rest of the league now can understand what he brings to us,” Donahue added. “They probably didn’t think much of how Max Rothschild was going to do prior to the year but I think it’s apparent now.”

As the Ivy League starts to become increasingly aware of Rothschild, it will also have to get accustomed to facing a stalwart Penn defense, which has now held three teams to 50 points or fewer on the season.

Yale shot 33.9 percent (20-for-59) on Saturday and went 1-for-19 from deep, the worst mark any team has posted against the Quakers during Donahue’s tenure.

According to KenPom.com, Penn’s defense now ranks eighth nationwide in 3-point percentage against and gives up the lowest percentage of assists on opposing baskets in all of Division I. They’re contesting shots, fouling less, rebounding more, and winning games as a result.

“Defense is what we’re about,” Donahue said. “I’m just really proud of this group because that was our point of emphasis this year, I thought we could be good defensively. We have an attitude about us, we have guys that are physical, that are tough, and that’s how I think we’re going to win.”

And win they have. At 15-6 with nine games to go, a 20-win season is very much within reach. Donahue has a winning record over his Penn tenure for the first time since he was only seven games in with the Quakers.

Penn’s success has led to an increasing number of fans piling into the Palestra, which saw quite a bit of action over a nine-game Quakers home stand, a stretch that began against Delaware State on Dec. 27 and concluded against Yale on Saturday.

“It’s fun. That’s what we’re trying to do here,” Rothschild said. “Coach Donahue, that’s his whole goal, to get more people out here watching the game, get people excited about Penn basketball.”

“I thought the Palestra was loud, fans were into it,” Donahue added. “I think they appreciate these guys and how they play, so that’s a great feeling, to play in front of people that care.”

As much as they appreciate the fan support, Penn is itching to get on the road after what will have been a 59-day span between away games.

“College basketball is getting loaded off the bus, getting in there, and being the villain and going in there and playing,” Donahue said. “I think we’re chomping at the bit to get on the road and looking forward to it.”

The Quakers travel to Princeton on Tuesday before two straight Ivy weekends away from home; seven of their final nine games will be played outside of the Palestra.

They’ll try not to get too caught up in their undefeated record, something they avoided doing in the reverse situation a year ago. With the home stand complete, Penn’s biggest tests still lie ahead.

“It was a good stretch for us. Good confidence. Even though we won, we’re undefeated in the Ivy, we can’t think about it too much,” Rothschild said. “We’re just worried about the next game. We take each game at a time, try not to worry about our last games, what our record is, what other teams’ records are, just take it each step at a time.”

“I want us to take another step in the growth over the next 5-6 weeks, get more consistent on offense, little better with the ball, just more consistent play,” Donahue said. “I don’t think we’re a great basketball team right now. I think we’re good, I think we’re tough.”


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