The Big 5 Classic returns to the Wells Fargo Center this December, with bragging rights for the top basketball school in Philadelphia once again on the line. This will be the second season Drexel men’s team will participate, following a thrilling upset win in the Big Classic against Villanova. The six schools all had very different offseasons, and a mix of returning players and incoming transfers could make a huge impact in the battle for Philadelphia. Here is The Triangle’s 2024 Big 5 preview.
Drexel Dragons
The Dragons are off to a 2-0 start as they enter Big 5 pod play, something that few prognosticators would have assumed given the fact that Drexel had to face Colgate in their first Division I matchup of the season. Drexel’s lineup is largely unrecognizable, and the aesthetic of the playstyle is massively changed as well. The strengths of this Drexel team lie in their talented guard play, size in the backcourt and three point shooting.
Led by the trio of Yame Butler, Kobe Magee and Shane Blakeney, Drexel men’s basketball head coach Zach Spiker has a wealth of scorers who are athletic and have the physical abilities to play multiple positions.
The Dragons have also excelled defensively thus far. With the exception of Deuce Drake and Josh Reed at point guard, the other eight players who made an appearance in Drexel’s impressive win over Colgate offer tremendous length and versatility that allowed them to torment the Raiders on the perimeter and near the basket. Cole Hargrove in particular has impressed as the starting center, effectively disrupting Colgate’s best player, Jeff Woodward, all night long.
Drexel’s weakness currently lies at the point guard position where they have been unable to find production. In Big 5 play, Spiker will have to get creative to get the most out of this position, whether that means a change in who runs the point or something to the scheme.
La Salle Explorers
The Explorers, who were predicted to come in last in the preseason coaches poll, look significantly different from how they appeared last season. Head coach Fran Dunphy is a local legend who commands respect for his 35 year career coaching basketball within Philadelphia, but it appears like few predict it to be a prosperous season for La Salle.
The Explorers lost their two best players in Khalil Brantley and Jhamir Brickus, and much of their supporting cast also left via the transfer portal. Even so, the Explorers brought in a strong class of transfers, headlined by Jahlil White and Corey McKeithan who are both averaging over 15 points per game.
La Salle has opened their season with two wins over American and Lafayette, and will square off against Cornell before taking on Drexel on Nov. 16.
Pennsylvania Quakers
After a disappointing 11-18 season and second to last place finish in the Ivy League standings, UPenn has ground to cover in the Big 5. Despite a 2-0 start to the season, both wins for the Quakers have only been one-point margins against lesser teams, as they beat NJIT 58-57, and Maryland-Eastern Shore 85-84. Last season, Penn went 1-2 in Big 5 play, upsetting Villanova 76-72, but falling to both Saint Joseph’s, and LaSalle in overtime at last year’s classic.
Head Coach Steve Donahue is in year 10 with the Quakers, where he’s led them to a 125-111 record, but since the 2020-21 season, where the Ivy League chose to cancel the season amidst concerns with COVID-19 the program has only had one winning season.
The Quakers brought back sophomore guard Sam Brown and senior forward Nick Spinoso, with both averaging double figure points through the first two games of 2024-25. Additionally, the Quakers brought in former Patriot League rookie of the year, Ethan Roberts, who transferred from Drake, after missing all of last season due to injury. Roberts has led the Quakers in scoring so far, with 15 points against NJIT and a 23 point double-double against Maryland-Eastern Shore.
The Quakers face off against Lafayette on Tuesday night, before back to back Big 5 matchups against Saint Joseph’s and Villanova on Friday and next Tuesday.
Saint Joseph’s Hawks
The Saint Joseph’s Hawks won their 21st Big 5 Classic last December, defeating the Temple Owls 74-65. The Hawks finished the 2023-24 season with a 21-14 record, and was the only school undefeated in Big 5 games, as they defeated both UPenn, and then #18 ranked Villanova. After wins over 8-seeded George Mason and 1-seeded Richmond in the A-10 tournament, the Hawks fell to VCU in the semifinals.
No Philadelphia school saw less roster turnover than Saint Joseph’s, as arguably their top three players from last season returned to the Hawks for 2024-25. Head Coach Billy Lange, now in year six with the school, has led the team to a 1-1 start, with a win over Navy and a loss to Central Connecticut State. Last year’s A-10 Rookie of the Year, Xzayvier Brown, who excelled for the Hawks on both sides of the court, averaging the second most points and most steals. Last year’s top scorer Erik Reynolds II, a 2x All-A-10 team member, opened this season with a 29 point performance against Navy, previewing what the guard can bring. Saint Joseph’s also retains their top big-man, Rasheer Fleming, who is a regular double-double threat, and a menace to defenders.
Saint Joseph’s opens Big 5 play Tuesday night at the Hagan Arena against Villanova, before going on the road Friday night to play UPenn at the Palestra.
Temple Owls
The Owls 2023-24 regular season was nothing to write home about, going 16-20 and finishing 11th in the AAC regular season standings. Temple entered the AAC tournament amidst a betting investigation and a team with the odds stacked against them. After taking down UTSA and upsetting SMU in the first two rounds, the Owls defeated the number 3 seed in the conference, Charlotte, and number 1 seed, Florida Atlantic, before falling to UAB in the championship game.
Head Coach Adam Fisher returns for his second season in Philly after previously serving as an assistant coach at Miami, and an associate head coach for Penn State. This spring, after last year’s top three scorers (Hysier Miller, Jordan Riley and Jahlil White) transferred out, the Owls made a splash landing former University of New Mexico guard, Jamal Mashburn.
Mashburn, the son of the former NBA All-star with the same name, is a two-time All-Mountain West Conference team member, and averaged over 17 points per game in his three years at UNM. In the first two games of the season, where the Owls defeated both Sacred Heart and Monmouth, Mashburn scored 26 and 25 points respectively, shooting 64.5% from the field, and 72.7% from three. Aside from Mashburn, Temple retained 6 ’10 ” forward Steve Settle, who has taken on a bigger role with the team this season, averaging 16.5-9.0-5.0 in the team’s first two games. Former Penn State guard, Jameel Brown, also joins this new-look Temple squad, and has scored in double figures in both games.
Temple squares off with Drexel on Tuesday night at the Liacouras center, before going on the road to LaSalle on Nov. 30.
Villanova Wildcats
The class of the Big 5, Villanova is viewed as a contender for greater things than a Big 5 title. That too was the case last year, where ‘Nova entered the season ranked 22nd in the nation. Despite this pedigree, the Wildcats ended up placing sixth in the Big 5, going 0-3 with losses to Penn, St. Joseph’s and, ultimately, Drexel. This was a big blow for Villanova to start the season, one that they would not end up recovering from as their season flamed out and they failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.
Villanova is led by fifth year forward Eric Dixon, who is regarded as one of the best players in the nation, and his supporting cast was filled out with the additions of Wooga Poplar and Jhamir Brickus.
The ‘Cats are 2-1 through three games, but they sport the worst loss in the Big 5 with a stunning, homecourt defeat to Columbia University. Regardless, Villanova will be the betting favorite to win the Big 5, but if they are unable to execute at a higher level in these meaningful games then they may end up with another disappointing Big 5 showing.
The Triangle Sports Staff’s Big 5 Predictions:
Paulie Loscalzo: Drexel should win their pod over Temple and La Salle, but I think they lose in the final to Villanova. The Dragons will struggle to beat the Wildcats this year as they don’t have Amari Williams to lock down Eric Dixon anymore, but it is closer than people think.
James Biernat: Saint Joe’s over Drexel.
Janine Gin: Saint Joe’s because they have the least amount of offseason roster turnover
Ava Buckingham: Saint Joe’s.
Raphael Bartell: I think that Drexel will win the Big 5 tournament.
Tori Harrigan: I think Drexel will win the Big 5 tournament. Though most of our veterans have transferred or graduated, we were able to beat Villanova last year. I have confidence we will perform similarly this year!
Sophia Fermin: Drexel will win the Big 5.
Ryan Legg: Drexel vs. St. Joe’s final with Drexel coming out on top.
Jack Margolin: Temple.