Villanova Rolls Past Penn for First Big 5 Classic Championship

PHILADELPHIA—The Villanova Wildcats won their first Big 5 Championship since pod play began in the 2023-24 season, blowing out the Penn Quakers 90-63 at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Saturday, Dec. 6. The win, Villanova’s seventh in a row, marks the Wildcats’ (7-1) 18th outright Big 5 title and their 30th overall.

Penn sank seven of 13 three-point shots in the first half but made just four of 17 shots from two-point range, senior guard Cam Thrower leading the charge on a 3-for-3 tear from beyond the arc. Villanova, similarly, shot 7-of-14 from three in the first half, but senior forward Duke Brennan led the field with 12 points in the period on 6-of-8 shooting.  True freshman point guard Acaden Lewis continued to excel as a facilitator, racking up seven assists to just two turnovers on the day.

Brennan put the Wildcats ahead 27-19 on a putback dunk, but Penn tied the game barely two minutes later on a three from Lucas Leuth. That marked their last attempt from beyond the arc in the first half — and their penultimate bucket. Villanova closed the frame on a 17-2 run, blanking the Quakers for the last 4:29 and forcing a pair of turnovers in the final 15 seconds to make it 44-29.

After scoring just one point in the first 20 minutes, sophomore guard Bryce Lindsay sank three consecutive three-point shots to open the second half. Former Penn transfer Tyler Perkins and Matt Hodge joined the triple party after that, pushing the Wildcats’ lead above 20. Lindsay went on to lead the team in scoring with 18 points, while Devin Askew added 17 off the bench.

Up next, Villanova will travel to face No. 3 Michigan at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9 in a rematch of the 2018 National Championship game.