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Big 5 Basketball

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The Philadelphia Big 5 is one of the most storied traditions in college basketball, a round-robin competition among the five major Division I basketball programs in the Philadelphia area: La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph's, Temple, and Villanova. Since 1955, these schools have played each other in city series games, with the overall winner crowned Big 5 champion. The tradition has produced Hall of Fame players, legendary coaches, and some of the most intense rivalries in college sports.[1]

History

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Origins

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The Big 5 emerged from Philadelphia's rich basketball culture:

  • 1955*** — Formal Big 5 competition established
  • Origins*** — Schools already played each other informally
  • Purpose*** — Promote Philadelphia basketball, share arena
  • The Palestra*** — Penn's gym became Big 5's spiritual home
  • City pride*** — Local bragging rights at stake

The Golden Era

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The 1950s-1980s were the Big 5's peak:

  • National prominence*** — Multiple programs ranked nationally
  • The Palestra*** — "The Cathedral of College Basketball"
  • Doubleheaders*** — Two Big 5 games in one night
  • Sellouts*** — Passionate crowds for every game
  • Legends made*** — Gola, Erving, Ivey, Cheeks, others

Modern Era

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Changes have altered the Big 5:

  • Conference realignment*** — Schools joined national conferences
  • Scheduling conflicts*** — Harder to maintain round-robin
  • Fewer Palestra games*** — Teams play in home arenas more
  • 2018*** — Formal Big 5 round-robin ended
  • Tradition continues*** — Teams still play each other, less formally

The Schools

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La Salle University Explorers

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  • Location*** — Olney, Northwest Philadelphia
  • Nickname*** — Explorers
  • Arena*** — Tom Gola Arena
  • Conference*** — Atlantic 10
  • Glory years*** — 1950s-1980s
  • Legend*** — Tom Gola*** (Hall of Famer, 1954 champion)
  • Notable*** — 1954 NCAA champion

University of Pennsylvania Quakers

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  • Location*** — University City
  • Nickname*** — Quakers
  • Arena*** — The Palestra
  • Conference*** — Ivy League
  • Glory years*** — 1970s-80s under Chuck Daly
  • Notable*** — Ivy League power, Palestra's home

Saint Joseph's University Hawks

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  • Location*** — Merion Station/Philadelphia
  • Nickname*** — Hawks
  • Arena*** — Hagan Arena
  • Conference*** — Atlantic 10
  • Glory years*** — 1960s, 2004
  • Legend*** — Jameer Nelson*** (2004 Player of Year candidate)
  • Notable*** — 2004 undefeated regular season (27-0)

Temple University Owls

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  • Location*** — North Philadelphia
  • Nickname*** — Owls
  • Arena*** — Liacouras Center
  • Conference*** — American Athletic
  • Glory years*** — 1980s-2000s under John Chaney
  • Legend*** — John Chaney*** (Hall of Fame coach)
  • Notable*** — Multiple Elite Eight appearances

Villanova University Wildcats

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  • Location*** — Villanova (Main Line)
  • Nickname*** — Wildcats
  • Arena*** — Finneran Pavilion
  • Conference*** — Big East
  • Glory years*** — 1985, 2016, 2018
  • Legend*** — Jay Wright*** (Hall of Fame coach)
  • Notable*** — 3 NCAA championships (1985, 2016, 2018)

Championships

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Most Big 5 Titles

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School Big 5 Titles
Temple 28
Villanova 27
Saint Joseph's 19
La Salle 18
Penn 14

NCAA Championships

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School NCAA Titles Years
Villanova 3 1985, 2016, 2018
La Salle 1 1954

Legendary Players

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Hall of Famers

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Player School Notable
Tom Gola La Salle 1954 champion, 4x All-American
Paul Arizin Villanova 1950 Player of Year, NBA star
Guy Rodgers Temple All-American, NBA assist leader
Cliff Anderson Saint Joseph's 3x All-Big 5
Lionel Simmons La Salle 1990 Player of Year

Other Legends

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  • Eddie Jones*** — Temple, NBA All-Star
  • Kerry Kittles*** — Villanova, NBA star
  • Jameer Nelson*** — Saint Joseph's, 2004 First-Team All-American
  • Aaron McKie*** — Temple, NBA champion
  • Howard Porter*** — Villanova, 1971 Final Four MOP
  • Kyle Lowry*** — Villanova, NBA champion
  • Jalen Brunson*** — Villanova, 2x champion

The Palestra

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"The Cathedral of College Basketball"

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The Palestra is the Big 5's spiritual home:

  • Opened*** — 1927
  • Capacity*** — 8,700
  • Location*** — Penn's campus, University City
  • Architecture*** — Historic, intimate design
  • Atmosphere*** — Legendary acoustics, fans on top of court
  • History*** — More college basketball games than any other venue

Why It Matters

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  • Perfect for college basketball
  • Crowd noise amplified
  • Students and fans close to court
  • Historic aura
  • Big 5 doubleheaders were legendary

Rivalries

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Villanova vs. Temple

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The city's most intense basketball rivalry:

  • Class dynamics*** — Main Line private vs. North Philly public
  • Fan hostility*** — Genuine dislike
  • Historical importance*** — Often for Big 5 title
  • John Chaney vs. Rollie Massimino*** — Iconic coaching rivalry

Saint Joseph's vs. Villanova

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  • Main Line neighbors
  • Catholic school rivalry
  • "Holy War" atmosphere
  • Close geographic proximity intensifies feelings

Penn vs. Everyone

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  • Ivy League school vs. basketball schools
  • Different athletic philosophy
  • Palestra home advantage

Legendary Coaches

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Coach School Era Notable
John Chaney Temple 1982-2006 Hall of Famer, 17 NCAA tournaments
Jay Wright Villanova 2001-2022 2 national titles, Hall of Famer
Jack Ramsay Saint Joseph's 1955-1966 Later NBA champion coach
Chuck Daly Penn 1971-1977 Later "Bad Boys" Pistons coach
Speedy Morris La Salle 1986-2001 Revived program

John Chaney's Legacy

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  • Temple icon*** — 24 seasons
  • Coaching style*** — Matchup zone defense
  • Famous temper*** — Confrontations with Calipari, Massimino
  • Working-class hero*** — Championed underdogs
  • Hall of Fame*** — Inducted 2001
  • Died*** — 2021

Jay Wright's Dynasty

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  • Villanova icon*** — 21 seasons
  • Championships*** — 2016, 2018 (back-to-back bid for 2020 lost to COVID)
  • Coaching style*** — Unselfish basketball, player development
  • Retired*** — 2022
  • Hall of Fame*** — Inducted 2023

Cultural Significance

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What Big 5 Represents

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  • City pride*** — Philadelphia basketball excellence
  • Accessibility*** — Local programs for local fans
  • Tradition*** — 65+ years of competition
  • Development*** — Players to NBA
  • Community*** — Unites across neighborhoods

Challenges

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  • National conference realignment
  • Scheduling difficulties
  • Some games moved from Palestra
  • Less formal round-robin since 2018
  • Tradition harder to maintain

Frequently Asked Questions

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Template:FAQ

See Also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Philadelphia Big 5". Philadelphia Big 5. Retrieved December 23, 2025
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