City of Basketball Love

By Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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Two weeks into the season, we’ve already learned plenty about the Big 5 squads — the good, the bad, and plenty in between. With every team in the city having played at least its first couple games, we’ve gotten enough data to rank the Big 5 for the first time in 2024-25. 

Here’s our women’s power rankings through the first couple weeks: 

6) La Salle Explorers
Record: 1-3 (0-1 Big 5)
Recent Results: @ Maine (L, 65-51), vs. Delaware (W, 68-54), @ Drexel (L, 73-40), @ Virginia (L, 76-47)

Overview: The Explorers so far have looked quite capable in their win against Delaware but otherwise quite rough around the edges in long stretches against Maine and Drexel, which is to be expected of a group that’s been compiled together from junior colleges, Division II colleges, high school freshmen and only a couple returners from last year, one of whom (sophomore Aryss Macktoon) only played in four games due to injury. They’re only shooting 32.1% overall and 24.3% from 3-point range, and haven’t been able to take advantage of turnover differential like Mountain MacGillivray wants. Freshman Joan Quinn (10.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg) has been a bright spot, the Cardinal O’Hara grad leading the team in scoring ahead of redshirt sophomore and Saint Louis transfer Ashleigh Connor (9.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg).

5) Penn Quakers
Record: 3-1 (0-1 Big 5)
Recent Results: vs. Merrimack (W, 64-52), @ Maine (W, 56-52), vs. Siena (W, 78-47), vs. St. Joe’s (L, 68-57)

Overview: The Quakers’ positive start to the season slowed down somewhat at the hands of the Hawks, but there are a bunch of good signs so far this year. Freshman forward Katie Collins (9.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg) has jumped right in to start at the ‘5,’ and she’s been a third quality offensive option after senior Stina Almqvist (20.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and sophomore Mataya Gayle (12.3 ppg). But after those three, nobody on the team is averaging more than 4.8 ppg, and the whole group is 20-of-73 (27.4%) from 3-point range — take out Collins (6-10), and it’s 22.2%. Freshman Sarah Miller, who’s 5-of-8 from 3-point range early on, could be a help in that department with more opportunities.

4) Villanova Wildcats
Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 5)
Recent Results: vs. Wake Forest (W, 64-56), @ Princeton (L, 70-61), vs. Columbia (W, 68-67)

Overview: Well, it didn’t take long to figure out who was the next Wildcats’ star. Freshman Jasmine Bascoe has been outstanding out of the gates, the 5-7 point guard from Canada averaging 17.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg with a team-high 12 assists, while sophomore Maddie Webber (13.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg) has been strong as the No. 2 offensive option, going 6-of-14 (42.9%) from downtown. They’re struggling on the glass, getting out-rebounded by an average of 6.7 boards/game, but do have 15 blocks compared to just five by their opponents. They’ll be happy with a few more games by Maddie Burke like her 17-point, 10-rebound outing against Columbia, as the grad student was 5-of-7 from deep.

3) Temple Owls
Record: 2-1 (0-0 Big 5)
Recent Results: vs. Richmond (L, 79-72), @ Delaware (W, 67-56), @ VCU (W, 59-55)

Overview: The Owls are only shooting 37% from the floor and 29.6% from 3-point range, are being out-rebounded on the season — and yet have a winning record against three quality opponents, thanks to a +26 turnover margin, having forced an average of 25.3 turnovers through three games, including 28 against VCU. Towson transfer Anissa Rivera (9.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and Loyola Marymount transfer Amaya Oliver (8.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg) have been quality backcourt additions while Tiarra East (20.0 ppg) and Tarriyonna Gary (13.0 ppg) are leading the way in scoring, even though Gary (8-of-30, 26.7%) hasn’t quite found her 3-point stroke just yet.

2) Drexel Dragons
Record: 2-0 (1-0 Big 5)
Recent Results:vs. Marist (W, 64-53), vs. La Salle (W, 73-40)

Overview: The only team in the city that’s only played two games, Drexel’s relying on a few new pieces but has looked good in its first two games, especially in the 33-point throttling of La Salle last week. Amaris Baker (21.5 ppg) has continued her hot-scoring streak from the last dozen games of her junior year, the O’Hara grad shooting 42.9% from the floor, and Archbishop Wood product Deja Evans (11.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg) has been a quality post addition, the sophomore transferring in from Albany. As a team, the Dragons are 16-of-37 (43.2%) from 3-point range and +13 on turnover margin, two good early signs. 

1) Saint Joseph’s Hawks
Record: 3-0 (1-0 Big 5)
Recent Results: vs. Goldey-Beacom (W, 102-30), @ Syracuse (W, 84-70), @ Penn (W, 68-57)

Overview: The Hawks were expected to win early and often, coming off a 28-win season with much of their rotation intact. So far so good, as St. Joe’s owns the best win in the season thus far, beating a solid ACC team on the road at Syracuse, then returning back to Philly to put together a quality 40 minutes in a win over a game Penn squad. It’s been the usual suspects for SJU: Talya Brugler (21.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg), Mackenzie Smith (19.3 ppg) and Laura Ziegler (15.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg) are all playing well, and point guard Emma Boslet (4.7 ppg, 6.3 apg) has done a great job on the ball with Julia Nystrom (concussion) out for those first three. Their biggest test yet comes on Friday with a game at Utah, with the Holy War looming on Dec. 1 with the Big 5 title game on the line.