Men's Basketball | July 14, 2015

PHILADELPHIA – La Salle will host Temple on Wednesday, January 20 at the Palestra as part of a Philadelphia Big 5 doubleheader to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the Big 5, it was announced today. Penn and Saint Joseph's will play in the other half of the doubleheader. Ticket information and game times will be announced at a later date.
 
"The Athletics Directors wanted to do something very special to celebrate this unique achievement," said Steve Bilsky, Executive Director of The Big 5. "We thought nothing would capture its history better than a competition to be held in this famed Cathedral of Basketball. The fact that we were able to pull it off in a very challenging college basketball scheduling environment is a credit to the ADs, coaches, and Conference Commissioners, who displayed tremendous perseverance and flexibility."
 
"Coaching Big 5 games in the Palestra are some of the best experiences I have had in coaching," La Salle head coach Dr. John Giannini said. "The great competition, the venue, the tradition, the rivalries, and the loud, passionate, split crowds create a most unique environment."
 
The five schools, La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph's, Temple, and Villanova, have continually played each other every year since the mid-1950s, a feat unparalleled in any other city in the United States.
 
La Salle and Temple have played their last two match-ups at the Palestra, including the 2014 edition that was part of ESPN GameDay.
 
The Palestra served as La Salle's home court from 1955-56 until 1988-89 and the Explorers have a 314-175 record in the building.

The most recent doubleheader that involved two Big 5 games at The Palestra took place December 4, 2004, as Penn defeated La Salle, 78-67, and Temple edged Villanova, 53-52. The fifth Big 5 team, Saint Joseph's, also played in the Palestra that day and made it a true City Six event by playing Drexel, falling to the Dragons, 57-49.