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NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early Big 5 power rankings for 2019-20

By Pan Karalis

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 11: Jermaine Samuels #23 of the Villanova Wildcats drives to the basket against Michael Wang #23 of the Pennsylvania Quakers in the first half at The Palestra on December 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 11: Jermaine Samuels #23 of the Villanova Wildcats drives to the basket against Michael Wang #23 of the Pennsylvania Quakers in the first half at The Palestra on December 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – DECEMBER 11: Max Rothschild #0 and AJ Brodeur #25 of the Pennsylvania Quakers celebrate after the game 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: Max Rothschild #0 and AJ Brodeur #25 of the Pennsylvania Quakers celebrate after the game 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) /

#3 – Pennsylvania

Penn wasn’t your typical anything in 2019; they weren’t your typical Big 5 champs, they weren’t your typical .500 Ivy League team, and they weren’t the Penn team we were expecting to see a season ago. After going 12-2 in Ivy League play in 2018 and winning their conference tournament that year to send them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 11 years, expectations were sky-high heading into this past season. Their top two players from their championship 2018 season both had two years of eligibility remaining, and it seemed difficult to pick against the Quakers to repeat heading into last year.

Five minutes into last season, however, leading scorer Ryan Betley went down with a season-ending knee injury, and no one quite knew what the season would hold from there for a team already lacking some depth. But up stepped freshman Michael Wang, filling in some of that production lost with Betley’s absence, and Penn rolled through much of their non-conference season. They shocked Villanova in December, snapping their six-year Big 5 unbeaten streak, and even began to earn chatter of an at-large bid with other impressive wins over New Mexico and Miami.

But, of course, things eventually caught up to Penn. They did complete their magic run in the Big 5 by sweeping the series and winning the title outright, but conference play couldn’t have gone much worse for Steve Donahue’s side. A few more injuries put the Quakers in a very difficult position, and they had to win out on the final weekend to reach the four-team Ivy playoff.

Heading into 2020, the Quakers should be setting their sights on a bigger prize than the Ivy League championship. Returning is a now-seasoned AJ Brodeur, healthy Ryan Betley, and a number of supporting players including rising-senior Devon Goodman, Bryce Washington, and Wang. They won’t be without their depth issues again this season, losing three major contributors from last year’s team, but the starting five should have their fans excited. Another Big 5 title in 2020 might be as surprising as last year’s, but I don’t think anyone in Penn’s locker room doesn’t expect to successfully defend it next season.

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