No. 1-ranked Villanova faced off against rival La Salle at the site that’s known for being the birthplace of the Big 5, the Palestra.
The historic Philadelphia five-way rivalry that features Villanova, La Salle, Penn, Temple, and St. Joseph’s has seen many great games over the years, and Tuesday night was no different.
In their first game ranked as the top team in college basketball, the Wildcats were immediately put to work by the Explorers, who were right behind them every step of the way. Villanova ultimately held off La Salle to win 89-79, improving to 9-0 for the season and 3-0 in Big 5 play.