Busting Brackets
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Big 5 basketball: City championship on the line this week in Philadelphia

ByPan Karalis|
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 11: AJ Brodeur #25, Max Rothschild #0, and Eddie Scott #13 of the Pennsylvania Quakers celebrate their win against the Villanova Wildcats at The Palestra on December 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Quakers defeated the Wildcats 78-75. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 11: AJ Brodeur #25, Max Rothschild #0, and Eddie Scott #13 of the Pennsylvania Quakers celebrate their win against the Villanova Wildcats at The Palestra on December 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Quakers defeated the Wildcats 78-75. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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SPOKANE, WA – MARCH 20: Head coach Phil Martelli of the Saint Joseph’s Hawks looks on in the first half against the Oregon Ducks during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2016 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SPOKANE, WA – MARCH 20: Head coach Phil Martelli of the Saint Joseph’s Hawks looks on in the first half against the Oregon Ducks during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on March 20, 2016 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The scenarios

There are two more games left to play that will affect the Big 5 standings. Sounds like a simple ending to the annual round robin? Guess again. Here are the scenarios that could potentially play out.

  • Penn wins the title outright

The Quakers have beaten La Salle and Villanova, and have a chance to go undefeated in Big 5 play and win their first outright title (its last title of any kind) since 2001-02.

How does it happen?

Penn has to pull another Big 5 upset, this one against Temple, on the 19th, and finish the deal a week later with a win over Saint Joe’s on their home court on the 26th.

  • Villanova shares the title with Temple

Temple opened the season with an eight point win at home over La Salle, came from behind to beat Saint Joe’s at Hagan, and blew a late lead at Finneran to drop another game to Villanova. They’re sitting at 2-1 with their game on the 19th against Penn being their Big 5 finale.

How does it happen?

Temple would have to beat Penn, and Penn would need to lose to Saint Joe’s to finish 2-2 in Big 5 play for Temple and Villanova to share the title alone. Both would finish 3-1.

  • Penn and Villanova share the title

When Penn beat Villanova at the Palestra in December, they not only snapped Villanova’s historic Big 5 winning streak, but they also improved to 2-0 on the Big 5 season and guaranteed the Wildcats would not win an outright title this season. Pennsylvania and Villanova could wind up sharing the title.

How does it happen?

Penn would have to beat Temple on the 19th, sinking Temple to 2-2, and lose the following week to St. Joe’s. Penn and Villanova would be the two 3-1 teams in the series

  • Temple, Penn, and Villanova share the title

A three-way tie may sound crazy in a five-team round robin, but in 1981, 1992, and 1998, all five schools shared the title.

How does it happen?

Temple would have to beat Penn at Liacouras Center on the 19th, and the Quakers would have to beat St. Joe’s a week later at the Palestra for all three teams to share the 2018-19 title. This would bring Penn, Temple, and Villanova to 3-1.

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