La Salle's Josiah Harris shoots over Saint Louis' Robbie Avila in Saturday's game. The Explorers lost 82-74 to drop to 5-12 overall, 1-3 in the Atlantic 10. (Photo: La Salle Athletics)
By AARON BRACY
Big5Hoops
January 11, 2026
It was another busy weekend in the Big 5, with five of the six city teams in play. With four of the games on over-the-air television, I didn’t have to leave my couch to take in most of the action. Here’s an alphabetical order look at the results and some thoughts on the state of all six programs. And, finally, there is some real good news to report on the local scene.
For more, join me on Monday night from 8:30-9:30 p.m. on the Big 5 Hoops Spaces Show.
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Drexel
Record: 8-10 overall, 2-3 Coastal Athletic Conference
Last week’s results: Beat Stony Brook 56-37 on Thursday; Beat William & Mary 64-58 on Saturday.
Bracy Bytes: I always thought it was going to take the Dragons some time to figure things out after losing four key players to the transfer portal. It looks as if that is starting to happen. After an absolute shutdown defensive performance against Stony Brook on Thursday, Drexel stalled one of the best offenses and best programs in the CAA against W&M on Saturday. Victor Panov hit a huge corner three-pointer with 55 seconds left for the Dragons. Drexel has two tough tests upcoming and look like a typical Zach Spiker team that conference foes won’t enjoy seeing.
Upcoming this week: At Monmouth on Thursday; At Towson on Monday.
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La Salle
Record: 5-12 overall, 1-3 Atlantic 10
Last week’s results: Won at Rhode Island 72-72 on Wednesday; Lost 82-74 to St. Louis on Saturday.
Bracy Bytes: The Explorers played their best game of the season on Wednesday with an impressive win at Rhode Island. But they couldn’t carry it over on Saturday against a St. Louis team that is arguably the best in the conference. La Salle trailed by as many as 24 points in the second half, and the game wasn’t as close as the score. Jerome Brewer Jr. has been very good for La Salle in conference play.
Upcoming this week: At Richmond on Wednesday; Host St. Bonaventure on Saturday.
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Penn
Record: 8-7, 1-1 Ivy League
Last week’s results: Lost 78-76 at Princeton on Monday; Beat Brown 81-73 on Saturday.
Bracy Bytes: Ethan Roberts dropped 28 points on Brown on Saturday, and Michael Zanoni continued his strong season with 20 points, hitting 3 of 5 three-pointers. Losing to Princeton was a disappointing way to start Ivy League play for the Quakers, but getting Roberts back after he had been sidelined since the Big 5 Classic title game helped soothe some of the disappointment of the defeat. I still think the Quakers will contend for a top-4 spot in the Ivy and a place in Ivy Madness.
Upcoming this week: At Dartmouth on Saturday; At Harvard on Monday.
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Saint Joseph’s
Last week’s results: Beat Duquesne 97-90 in OT on Wednesday; Won at Richmond 67-65 on Sunday.
Bracy Bytes: This was a turnaround week for the Hawks. Jaiden Glover-Toscano hit a game-tying fadeaway in the final seconds of regulation against Duquesne, and the Hawks escaped Richmond with a very good win on Sunday in spite of shooting just 31 percent from the field and 13.3 percent from three-point range after halftime. Richmond had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but the three-pointer rimmed off. Listen, this St. Joe’s team still is one of the worst shooting teams I’ve seen from the program, but the Hawks look to be back on the same page. The defense against Richmond was outstanding, and the shots were good ones. If they can get a few more to fall, this Hawks team could be a tough out for anyone in the A-10. Derek Simpson had a fantastic week, following his 23-point outing against the Dukes with a 19-point, 13-rebound effort that included five three-pointers against the Spiders.
Upcoming this week: Host St. Bonaventure on Wednesday; At VCU on Monday.
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Temple
Record: 11-5 overall, 3-0 American
Last week’s results: Beat East Carolina 75-67 on Wednesday.
Bracy Bytes: The Owls are one of the hottest teams in the country, albeit against a fairly soft schedule, having won seven in a row. They got the weekend off to prep for their biggest game of the season, Wednesday at Memphis. As I’ve said before, Gavin Griffiths, Aiden Tobiason, and Derrian Ford will keep the Owls competitive. Add Jordan Mason to that trio, too. Griffiths had 24 points, six rebounds, and four blocks against ECU and is filling up the box score with averages of 12.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks. Ford (17.7), Tobiason (14.2), and Mason (11.8) also are scoring in double-figures. Mason has an impressive 5.6/1.5 assist/turnover ratio. We will know more about Temple after Wednesday.
Upcoming this week: At Memphis on Wednesday night; Host FAU on Sunday.
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Villanova
Record: 13-3, 4-1 Big East
Last week’s results: Lost 76-72 to Creighton on Wednesday; Won 76-73 at Marquette on Saturday.
Bracy Bytes: The Tafara Gapare situation came at a bad time for the Wildcats, who were riding a wave of positivity before Gapare followed the school’s announcement that he had left the team with a social media post that cast Villanova in a bad light by stating that he was taking a leave of absence due to mental health reasons. There has been no further comment from coach Kevin Willard or Villanova other than the school’s press release. Gapare’s post came on the same day as the Wildcats’ home loss to Creighton. Villanova bounced back with a road win at a struggling Marquette squad. The Wildcats didn’t defend well in this one, allowing Nigel James to get 31 points and hit seven three-pointers, but Acaden Lewis made a huge play with 11 seconds left when he drove the lane and found Tyler Perkins for an easy layup that gave Villanova a three-point lead that was the eventual outcome. Lewis had 20 points and eight assists, and Matt Hodge hit four three-pointers to finish with 14 points. The Wildcats are tied for second in the Big East at 4-1, behind 6-0 UConn. In addition to Marquette, Villanova has won at La Salle, at Seton Hall, and at Butler. They also defeated Wisconsin on a neutral court in Milwaukee not far from the Badgers’ home court. That Wisconsin win looks even better after the Badgers’ victory at Michigan on Saturday.
Upcoming this week: At Providence on Tuesday night; Host St. John’s on Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
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Bracy Sports Media Podcast Episode 61: Listen to my interview with ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi and my take on the state of journalism.
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Aaron Bracy has covered sports in Philadelphia for nearly three decades for various publications and as a freelancer for the Associated Press. His first book, A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003–04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks (Brookline), can be ordered HERE. He is working on his second book, which will chronicle the memorable 2000–01 season of Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers. It will be published in April 2027. Follow Bracy on social media HERE. Contact him at bracymedia@gmail.com.