The 2026‑27 women's basketball season of the Big 5 is set to begin with a novel pod system that groups the six participating schools into two three‑team brackets, each playing a round‑robin slate at their home venues.
Pod Structure and Seedings
Pod 1 will feature Drexel, Penn and Saint Joseph’s, while Pod 2 comprises La Salle, Temple and Villanova; the first‑place teams in each pod will contest the Big 5 championship, the second‑place sides will meet for third place and the third‑place teams will play for fifth.
Early‑season action kicks off with Drexel hosting Penn on Friday, November 6, and Penn traveling to Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday, November 18 in Pod 1, while in Pod 2 Temple will host La Salle on Wednesday, November 11, La Salle will welcome Villanova on Saturday, November 24, and Villanova will host Temple on Tuesday, December 1.
A Century of Basketball at The Palestra
The Palestra, situated on the University of Pennsylvania campus, has been a cornerstone of collegiate basketball since its opening in 1926, hosting countless historic moments and serving as the home court for the Quakers and other local teams.
A marquee tripleheader at The Palestra on Sunday, December 6 will celebrate the arena’s 100th anniversary, showcasing the championship matchup alongside consolation games, with ticket details to be released in the coming weeks.
Fans can stay up to date on Penn women's basketball through the program’s official social accounts, including @PennWBB on X and Instagram, as well as the Penn Athletics website.