Big 5 Classic Schedule, Matchups

The third annual Big 5 Classic will take place over the weekend of Saturday, Dec. 6, with the men’s event taking place at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena that day before Villanova hosts the women’s games at the Finneran Pavilion the following day. With pod play concluded, matchups and game times are now finalized.

Drexel and La Salle will kick off the men’s event at 2 p.m. on Dec. 6 in the fifth place game. Both teams went 0-2 in pod play, with the Dragons playing both Saint Joseph’s and Penn close; La Salle lost to Temple via blowout, but managed to keep within 15 points of Villanova in Pod 2.

Saint Joseph’s and Temple will play at 4:30 p.m. (assuming the first game finishes in time) in the third place game. The Owls held a second half lead over Villanova in the game to determine Pod 2’s championship but lost 74-56 after a late Wildcats surge. Saint Joseph’s couldn’t overcome huge nights from former five-star recruit TJ Power and Ethan Roberts, conceding Pod 1 to the Quakers and ending their chance at a three-peat.

The championship game, set for 7:30 p.m., will pit the Quakers against the Wildcats.

Big 5 Women’s Schedule

La Salle and Penn will kick off the women’s classic in the fifth place game at 12 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7. The Explorers suffered double digit losses against both Villanova and Temple, as did Penn in Pod 1 play against Drexel and Saint Joseph’s. The third place game, between Temple and Drexel, will take place at 2:15 p.m.

Villanova obliterated Temple 88-58 to end the Owls’ pursuit of a second straight Big 5 title, while Saint Joseph’s slipped past the Dragons 57-55 to lock up Pod 1. The Hawks and Wildcats will then face off in the championship game at 4:15 p.m.