An exhilarating Big 5 run for Penn ended as anything but.
On Saturday, Penn men’s basketball routed by Villanova 90-63 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in the Toyota Men’s Big 5 Classic championship game, thus placing second in the Big 5 Classic. During the first half, the Quakers (5-4, 2-1 Big 5) were able to stick with the Wildcats (7-1, 3-0) before Villanova went on a 17-2 run to end the first frame.
From there, Penn was ultimately unable to make up this lost ground, digging itself deeper as the deficit exploded.
Here’s what we saw from Penn’s blowout loss to Villanova at the Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Roberts injured
Star senior guard/forward Ethan Roberts, who came into today averaging a team-high 20.3 points per game, was injured on Saturday.
At the beginning of the second half, Roberts was struck near the face and subsequently fell down. He remained on the ground after the fall, grabbing his left leg. Ultimately, Roberts was able to walk off the court by himself after being helped to his feet. He was visibly dazed.
After leaving the court, Roberts did not reenter the game and was not seen on Penn’s bench again.
“He’s on his way to the hospital,” coach and 1982 Wharton graduate Fran McCaffery said. “I did speak with him; he was visibly not in a good place. My thoughts and prayers are with him.”
McCaffery did not comment on the extent or nature of Roberts’ injury, but he did comment that he will miss time moving forward.
“We’re still working on lineups substitution patterns, but now we’ll have to play without [Roberts], so that will be an opportunity for somebody else,” McCaffery said.
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Penn’s stars struggle early
The Wildcats got on the board first, scoring on their first possession by the way of guard Tyler Perkins.
The junior, who transferred to the Main Line from Penn after his freshman season, hit a three-pointer from the top of the key. Ensuing blue and white streamers flew from the Wildcats’ rampant student section onto the court — a Big 5 tradition.
In the first half, the Wildcats gave the fans a lot more to cheer about as they quickly shut down Penn’s two stars — Roberts and junior forward TJ Power. In the first half, the duo shot a combined 1-of-9 from the court as just Power got into the score sheet with a single three-pointer in the game’s opening moments. Roberts and Power as a duo combined for over 45 points in both of the team’s Big 5 pod play matchups.
“I think physically and athletically, we were outmatched a little bit,” Power said. “We have to make up for that with our intensity, guarding the ball, guarding ball screens. Offensively, they switch a lot, so that kind of took us out of some of our stuff, and that’s something that we’re gonna have to work on.”
Roberts finished with zero points after missing the majority of the second half.
Senior guard Cam Thrower kept the Quakers in it early in the first half. Thrower made all three of his attempts from long range in the first half, but the backup shooting guard’s heroics could not hold off the inevitable.
With just under six minutes in the first half, Penn sophomore forward Lucas Lueth hit a catch-and-shoot three-pointer to tie the game 27-27. The Wildcats would own the rest of the half and the ensuing final 20 minutes.
In the last 15 seconds of the first half, Penn garnered two back-to-back turnovers — one by Roberts and the other by Thrower — and the Wildcats capitalized on both, entering their locker room up 44-29.
The Wildcats run away with it
Villanova poured it on early in the second half.
In the second half’s first five minutes, the Wildcats scored 18 points on 77% shooting from the floor. Villanova guard Bryce Lindsay logged nine points in this period and finished the night with 18 points, shooting 5-of-6 from beyond.
From here, Villanova’s lead continued to balloon after Roberts exited the game. The Wildcats outscored Penn 46-34 in the second half behind the scoring prowess of Lindsay and fellow guard Devin Askew to claim their first Big 5 Classic championship. At the end of the night, Askew totaled 17 points.
Meanwhile, Villanova forward Duke Brennan was named the MVP of the matchup. Brennan totaled 15 points, 10 rebounds, and was a major factor on defense for the Wildcats.
Power was able to partially salvage his day in the second half, finishing with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Penn will look to get back in the win column on Monday at home against Lafayette.
