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Happy Wednesday Nova Nation! It’s game day as the Wildcats host the Temple Owls in their second Big 5 game of the season. Villanova will be going for a Big 5 record extending 24th consecutive win tonight, a streak spanning over seven seasons.
Villanova has done a lot of dominating under Jay Wright when it comes to the Big 5. He has the most undefeated Big 5 titles of any coach (9), and Villanova has the most undefeated Big 5 championships (15). Wright and Villanova both hold the records for longest undefeated tile streaks as well, five from 2013-18. But despite the Wildcats being Philadelphia’s big bully recently, it’s Temple that still sits atop the Big 5 throne.
Villanova fans may not believe this, but the Big 5 actually started before 2014. The Philadelphia college basketball collective is now in its 64th season, and during that time it’s actually been Temple that’s done the most winning. Which coach has the most Big 5 Titles? Temple’s John Chaney with 15. What school has the longest championship streak? Again, it’s temple with 8 championships from 1990-98. And what school has the most Big 5 Titles? That would be Temple with 27.
But those Owls don’t even need to turn their heads all the way around to see Villanova catching up to them. Nova sits at 26 total Big 5 titles, and a win tonight would put them in the driver’s seat to tie Temple at 27. So it’s not just the fact that no player on Temple’s team has ever beaten the Wildcats, they’re also playing to defend their sole possession of the Big 5 Crown.
Sorry boys, but in case you didn’t notice there’s only room for one college champion in this town. We’re coming for ya!
In other “news”, Cats vs Owls is Must See TV, Saddiq Bey is impressing early on, and Bryan Antoine is poised for a great senior season. Enjoy!
Villanova vs Temple
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The Wildcats last lost a Big 5 game to the Owls, six years ago to the day at the same venue. Jay Wright insists that he doesn't talk about the streak with his players.
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Five-star prospects typically make huge splashes early on. Here are a look at 10 non five-star freshmen who are making immediate impacts for their teams. Saddiq Bey makes the list.
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The fact that Scottie Lewis and Bryan Antoine committed to colleges early could be beneficial for Ranney this season.