Zero.
That’s the number of wins Penn men’s basketball had over Big 5 opponents in 2024.
This time last year, the Quakers were preparing for a far different game in South Philadelphia: a contest with Drexel to avoid last place in the Big 5.
Since then, Penn has flipped the script, going undefeated through pod play and notching a spot in its first championship appearance in the new Big 5 Classic format. The team is set to battle Villanova on Saturday at the Xfinity Mobile Arena for its first Big 5 title since 2019.
“It’s obviously a big stage in the Big 5 championship, something that we’ve circled and wanted to get … and we’re playing to win, so we’re excited,” senior forward Michael Zanoni said.
After handing the Quakers their worst loss in more than a decade last season, Villanova looks to maintain its dominance while also taking home citywide bragging rights along the way. This season, the Wildcats picked up victories with dominant performances over La Salle and Temple to earn the opportunity to win the Big 5 title.
“The opportunity to play at Xfinity Mobile Arena against a team of that caliber is a great opportunity for our program,” coach and 1982 Wharton graduate Fran McCaffery said in an interview with Crossing Broad. “Our guys have earned it and we’re looking forward to it.”
Characterized by their high tempo and diverse offensive firepower, the Quakers under McCaffery have been reborn.
RELATED:
TJ Power, Dalton Scantlebury of Penn men’s basketball earn Player of the Week honors
Three takeaways from Penn men’s basketball’s performance at Cathedral Classic
“Coach McCaffery has done a good job of breaking down film,” junior forward TJ Power said. “Sometimes we’re outmatched in size and athleticism and talent, and we make up for that in preparation. So I expect us to be prepared and ready to go.”
Throughout the year, teams have tried and failed to stop the hydra that is Penn’s offensive attack. After Zanoni got off to a lightning start, scoring 50 points in two of the season’s first three games, teams began to face-guard him. That coverage opened opportunities for newcomers like Power and freshman center Dalton Scantlebury to take over in recent games.
After winning two out of three games in the Cathedral Classic, Scantlebury and Power took home weekly awards in the Big 5. Power won Big 5 Player of the Week, while Scantlebury won Big 5 co-Rookie of the Week as well as Ivy League Rookie of the Week.
“We have a lot of guys on any given night that can produce big numbers … that can create opportunity,” Zanoni said.
One player who will be integral to a win is senior guard/forward Ethan Roberts. Before Thanksgiving, Roberts was named Lou Henson National Player of the Week and accrued multiple other weekly honors after dominant 30-plus scoring performances in both of Penn’s Big 5 victories.
However, the Wildcats, led by guards Bryce Lindsay and Acaden Lewis and forward Duke Brennan, will be a challenge this weekend. Villanova has dominated every opponent outside of a narrow loss to No. 9 BYU in its season opener. Brennon leads the Big East in rebounds, while Lewis was named Big 5 co-Rookie of the Week alongside Scantlebury.
Former Quaker and current Villanova guard Tyler Perkins will also be key to a Wildcat victory. The versatile guard put up 21 and 19 points in the Wildcats’ wins against Old Dominion and Temple respectively. Perkins was notably playing for the Quakers during the team’s 2023 upset over Villanova.
Perkins and Roberts have both had strikingly similar roles for their respective programs. Each solidified themselves as a key piece on the offensive front, averaged double digit scoring, and served as leaders on teams featuring several new players.
The Big 5 title could come down to a battle between Penn’s past and present.
