Villanova looking like the class of the Big 5 in Wednesday night rout of Penn

Villanova entered Finneran Pavilion on Wednesday night with the intent to prove itself as a top team in the Big 5 this season, and it accomplished just that with an 80-64 win over Penn.

Junior forward Denae Carter and freshman point guard Jasmine Bascoe scored 16 points each to lead Villanova. Beyond historic Philadelphia rivalries, Big 5 matchups mean something extra for Villanova (3-1), which will host the inaugural women’s Big 5 Classic on Dec. 6 on its home court.

“We know [the Big 5 Classic] is going to be a great day, and we just want to put ourselves in that spot to be playing for a championship come that Friday night,” Villanova coach Denise Dillon said.

Villanova jumped out to a 7-0 lead and led by at least 20 points at the end of the final three quarters. Villanova shot 42.9% from the field, including 34.6% from outside the arc.

Three of the four Villanova players who finished in double figures — graduate guard Maddie Burke, sophomore guard Maddie Webber, and Carter — were on last year’s roster. Burke provided steady leadership early on and finished with 14 points — all in the first half — on 5-for-10 shooting. Twelve of her points came from three-point range.

The game quickly got away from the Quakers (3-2) as they struggled to produce offensively. In the first half, Penn shot just 7-for-31 from the field (0-for-12 from three) with no assists and finished shooting 22-of-60 (4-of-24 from three).

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According to Dillon, one of Villanova’s primary focuses this season is rebounding. The Wildcats outrebounded the Quakers, 44-35.

In addition to her 16 points, Bascoe had six rebounds. She also had five assists and two steals.

“Our returning players and some of the veterans that we brought in are really taking [Bascoe] under their wing and allowing her to grow each day, and I think they enjoy playing with her out on the floor,” Dillon said. “It’s a great combination.”

Carter led the Wildcats with nine rebounds. Having grown up in Philadelphia, Carter felt especially connected to the Big 5 matchup. Bascoe, who’s from Canada, is one of three international players on this season’s Villanova roster who are just beginning to experience the city’s basketball tradition.

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“I try to tell the team how deep [the Big 5 rivalry] goes and how it’s a really big thing here,” Carter said. “Today they kind of understood that. We knew it was going to be a really physical game that we’re playing for something a lot bigger. They just really embraced it, and it’s been super fun.”

Villanova’s next Big 5 Classic pod matchup will be on Dec. 1 vs. St. Joseph’s (3-0). The Wildcats lost to the Hawks, 73-67, last December before beating them, 67-59, in the WBIT quarterfinals in March.

“The Villanova-St. Joe’s rivalry has always been really strong, so today we were just putting [ourselves] in the position to make that next game a big one,” Dillon said. “We talked about that at the beginning of the season, the opportunity for us to play championship basketball.”

But first, Villanova will spend the weekend in the Bahamas to compete in the Battle 4 Atlantis, starting with Texas A&M on Saturday (9 p.m., FloCollege).

With losses to Villanova and St. Joe’s, the Quakers will play in the fifth-place game of the Big 5 Classic.

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“I’ve been a part of [the Big 5] for 15 years with Penn, and I think what they’re doing here with the Big 5 is really cool,” Penn coach Mike McLaughlin said. “To get all six teams back together in one venue, I’m looking forward to being a part of something for the first time. More importantly, I’m excited for the players to experience it.”