Entering his senior year, Penn senior forward Fran Dougherty will look to have a solid final year with the team and end his career on a high note.

Last season Dougherty played in only 10 games for the Quakers, as he was hampered by illness and injuries for most of the year. He played in the teamʼs first eight games, missed the following eight, and came back for only two more before finally being shut down for the year with an injury.

During his limited time last year Dougherty was averaging almost 14 points per game as well as just over 8 rebounds per game. Both statistics were tops on the team until he went down. He also recorded four double-doubles in his ten games. Needless to say, when Dougherty went down, life did not get easier for an already struggling Quakers team.

However, this season, the Quakers will look to turn things around, as they are a year older and more experienced. Penn should have some other guys around Dougherty to really contribute and ease the burden placed on the shoulders of the senior.

Through just two games, the Quakers are 1-1 and Dougherty is averaging just eight points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game.

Fortunately, for Dougherty he will not need to be relied upon so heavily for scoring this season as they have some guys who can clearly score such as Tony Hicks, Miles Cartwright, and Darien Nelson-Henry. If Doughtery can just be the type of player who fills the stat sheet with solid contributions on both ends of the ball, this team should be in a good place in the Ivy League.

Dougherty and the rest of the Quakers will host Penn State at the Palestra Saturday, at 2 p.m.

Jason Kohler is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jdk5342@psu.edu.