PHILADELPHIA – Temple university menS basketball faces a crucial Philadelphia Big 5 matchup against Villanova on Monday evening. Both teams enter the contest with 1-0 records in Big 5 play, with the winner securing a spot in the Big 5 Classic championship game against Penn on Saturday, Dec. 6, at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
The game represents an early-season test for both Philadelphia programs, continuing a storied rivalry within the city’s collegiate basketball landscape. The Big 5, comprised of Drexel, La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph’s, and Temple, provides a unique annual series of games that heavily influence local bragging rights and postseason positioning.
Temple is coming off a 90-75 loss to Rhode Island at the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, despite four players scoring in double figures. Senior AJ Smith led the Owls with a season-high 18 points, while Derrian Ford, Aiden Tobiason, and Masiah Gilyard each contributed 11 points. Jamai Felt grabbed a team-best nine rebounds, and Jordan Mason dished out six assists. Mason currently leads the team with 26 assists through eight games, with only eight turnovers. Temple is averaging 27.7 free-throw attempts per game, nearly ten more than their opponents.
villanova has won five consecutive games following a season-opening loss to BYU, most recently defeating Old Dominion 89-75 on Nov. 25. The Wildcats boast a balanced offense with five players averaging double-digit points, led by sophomore Bryce Lindsay’s 19.0 points per game and a 47.8% three-point shooting percentage. Freshmen Acaden Lewis (13.5 ppg) and Matt Hodge (12.5 ppg) also contribute significantly to Villanova’s scoring.
Both teams have a common opponent in La Salle, with Temple defeating the Explorers 90-63 and Villanova winning 70-55 on the road on Nov. 19.
