The college basketball season has arrived and it marks the beginning of a new era for the Big 5. First and foremost, the Big 5 now consists of six schools, with Drexel officially joining La Salle, Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph's, Temple and Villanova.
In this day and age of college athletics where the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences each have 14 teams (soon to be 18 and 16, respectively) and the Pac-12 will eventually be left with just two schools, the Big 5 having six teams isn't all that strange.
In addition to Drexel joining the fray, there is also a new format for Big 5 competition this season.
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The six teams will be divided into two separate three-team pods (Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph's and Villanova are in one pod, while Drexel, La Salle and Temple are in the other). Each team will play the other two teams in its respective pod in November. The first-place teams from each pod will meet in the final game of a Big 5 tripleheader on Dec. 2 at the Wells Fargo Center to determine the Big 5 champion. The second- and third-place teams from each pod will square off in the first two games of the tripleheader.
It should make for a fun day of basketball in South Philadelphia.
With this new season and new format comes plenty of questions. Let's run through some of the big ones.
Is this new format a change for the better?
Absolutely. For a number of reasons, the Big 5 lost considerable luster in recent years. Some of that was because of Villanova's dominance in the city series over the past two decades. The other programs in the city have struggled to find their footing. Saint Joseph's has just one NCAA Tournament victory since Jameer Nelson left campus in 2004. Meanwhile, Temple hasn't won a NCAA Tournament game since 2013, which was the same year as La Salle's most recent NCAA Tournament appearance.
Fan interest and attendance has waned. The hope is that the new Big 5 format — particularly the tripleheader at the Wells Fargo Center — will provide a spark. Time will tell if it does but it was clear that a change of some sort was needed.
The new format also means each school will play three Big 5 games (two in pod play and one in the tripleheader) as opposed to four Big 5 games. This will allow for some scheduling flexibility in an era where teams are playing 18 to 20 conference games in addition to in-season tournaments and mandated conference crossover games.
Will Villanova bounce back?
The pieces are in place for a strong bounce-back season after the Wildcats missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012 and just the second time in 20 years. Kyle Neptune's first season as Villanova head coach ended with a 17-17 record and a first-round loss in the NIT.
The Wildcats lost three starters from last year's team, including NBA first-round draft pick Cam Whitmore. Neptune turned to the transfer portal for reinforcements, bringing in TJ Bamba (Washington St.), Tyler Burton (Richmond), Hakim Hart (Maryland) and Lance Ware (Kentucky). All four will play significant roles, with Bamba, Burton and Hart expected to play major minutes.
Transfers aside, Villanova will go as far as seniors Justin Moore and Eric Dixon take it. Moore is fully healthy following his achilles injury 20 months ago and should be one of the best guards in the country. Dixon will be one of the most versatile and experienced forwards in the Big East.
The Wildcats begin the season ranked No. 22 in the Associated Press poll with legitimate hopes of competing for a Big East title and returning to the NCAA Tournament.
Can Saint Joseph's turn the corner?
It's hard to believe this is Billy Lange's fifth season as the Hawks' head coach. Following some lean years early in Lange's tenure, Saint Joseph's made serious strides last season — finishing 16-17 overall and 8-10 in the Atlantic 10.
The Hawks have one of the best players in the city (and the A-10) in junior guard Erik Reynolds, who averaged just under 20 points and shot 38 percent from three-point range last season. Lynn Greer III and Cameron Brown also return after averaging double figures a year ago. That's a solid nucleus that should compete with the top teams in the A-10.
Saint Joseph's was picked fifth in the conference's preseason poll behind Dayton, VCU, St. Bonaventure and Duquesne. A 20-win season isn't out of the realm of possibilities on Hawk Hill.
Will Adam Fisher rejuvenate Temple?
The Owls' first-year head coach is off to a good start after the roster he inherited from Aaron McKie was decimated by players transferring to other schools.
Recruiting is the name of the game in college basketball and Fisher earned a reputation as an excellent recruiter during his time as an assistant coach at Miami and Penn State. He has already made significant progress in that department at Temple, bolstering the Owls' 2024 recruiting class with several notable commitments.
Temple was picked to finish 12th out of 14 teams in the American Athletic Conference. Wins might be hard to come by in conference play this season but the future appears bright as Fisher gets to work restocking the Owls' roster with talented pieces for the future.
Who will go dancing?
Last season marked the first time since 1977 — a span of 46 years — that no Big 5 team advanced to the NCAA Tournament. That should change this season. Villanova has the look of a team that not only should make the tournament but is also capable of the type of deep run that fans grew accustomed to during the Jay Wright era.
It wouldn't be far-fetched for Saint Joseph's to be in the mix for a NCAA Tournament bid. Temple is probably a year or two away. La Salle was picked to finish last in the A-10 but the Explorers are a safe bet to exceed those expectations under the legendary Fran Dunphy.
Penn will always be in contention for an Ivy League title and subsequent trip to the NCAA Tournament under Steve Donahue. The Quakers lost their best player in the offseason with Jordan Dingle’s decision to transfer to St. John’s. But a talented roster remains as Penn attempts to navigate the stiff competition in the Ivy to qualify for the conference’s four-team postseason tournament. From there, it’s a matter of winning two games and advancing to the Big Dance.
Keep an eye on the newest Big 5 member. Drexel made the NCAA Tournament three years ago and should be among the top teams in the newly renamed Coastal Athletic Association. Zach Spiker flies under the radar as a terrific coach and generally has the Dragons playing meaningful games in March.