Drexel basketball is finally getting a seat at the big boys’ table in Philadelphia college hoops.
The Big 5, which formerly featured just Villanova, Temple, St. Joseph’s, La Salle and Penn, formally welcomed Drexel into the fold on Tuesday, alongside an announcement of a new format for the age-old local rivalry series.
Despite the expansion to six teams, the name “Big 5” will not change.
“Drexel University is honored to become part of the Philadelphia Big 5,” Drexel athletic director Maisha Kelly said in a press release. “The Philadelphia Big 5 is synonymous with basketball history in the city and it is exciting to have our brand now be associated with such a storied organization. As an institution of higher learning, prominently positioned in the city, we are proud to be aligned with these five schools that combine excellence in both academics and athletics. This is a historic day in Drexel basketball history.”
Starting in the 2023-24 season, the annual Big 5 championship will be determined with a new format.
Early in the nonconference portion of the regular season, the teams will play in two round-robin pods. Pod 1 includes Temple, La Salle and Drexel, and Pod 2 features Villanova, St. Joseph’s and Penn. That will determine each team’s seeding.
The six teams will then play in the Big 5 Classic tripleheader at Wells Fargo Center, with the first edition scheduled for Dec. 2 next season. The first seed from each pod will compete for the Big 5 championship, the second seeds will play for second place and the third seeds will meet for third place.
“Big 5 basketball and its traditions are a big part of the fabric of Philadelphia basketball,” La Salle coach Fran Dunphy, the former coach at both Penn and Temple, said in a release. “We look back on the Big 5’s history with great fondness, as we welcome a new member to our group in Drexel University and usher in a new era of Big 5 play. We are all excited to participate in this newly imagined format and the first Big 5 Classic at the new Wells Fargo Center next season.”
–Field Level Media