
Other than that, it was a rather uneventful week in the City 6. We do have some minor movement in the rankings this week, so let’s dive into it.
6. Drexel (2-10; 6)
Drexel’s downward slide continues, as the Dragons extended their losing streak to six when Elon defeated them on Saturday.
At this point, there is not much Bruiser Flint can do. Due to injuries, Drexel is down to eight players, four of which are freshman.
With little depth and even less experience, this season is likely to get only worse for the Dragons. On the bright side, at least their younger players will have plenty of playing time to gain experience.
5. Penn (3-7; 5)
At 3-7, the Quakers aren’t much better off than Drexel, but at least they have their health. I guess? Penn dropped its only game of the week to Big 5 rival La Salle, 84-67.
Penn plays its first Ivy League game next Sunday, but then will play four out-of-conference games in a row, which will likely prove difficult for the Quakers.
4. Saint Joseph’s (6-6; 3)
The Hawks struggled over the past week, dropping both of their games. First, Saint Joseph’s fell in overtime on the road to a mediocre Denver squad.
Saint Joseph’s followed that up with a four-point loss to a solid George Washington team on Saturday. The Hawks fell behind by 20 at one point against GW, but to their credit, battled back in the last 10 minutes of play.
Saint Joseph’s has some potential, but in order to reach it, will need players other than DeAndre’ Bembry to contribute on a regular basis.
3. La Salle (8-6; 4)
La Salle defeated Big 5 rival Penn by 17 earlier in the week before having its three-game win streak snapped on Saturday at George Mason. The Explorers’ leading scorer, Jordan Price, struggled shooting in the eight-point loss to George Mason, going just 1-for-11 from the field.
Overall, La Salle has looked pretty solid so far this season and jump Saint Joseph’s in this week’s rankings with the Hawks struggling of late.
2. Temple (11-4; 2)
Temple continues its upward trend, picking up its fifth straight win this afternoon against UCF on Sunday afternoon. That win came after an overtime victory on the road against defending national champion Connecticut earlier in the week.
Now that Jesse Morgan and Devin Coleman are eligible, the Owls look stronger and more well balanced each game. If they continue to trend the way they currently are, the Owls could be very dangerous come tournament time.
1. Villanova (13-1; 1)
Villanova ended 2014 with a nice win over a solid Butler squad. Unfortunately, the Wildcats kicked off 2015 by picking up their first loss of the season, an overtime defeat against an upward trending Seton Hall team.
The Wildcats have little time to dwell on their defeat, however, as they face #15 St. John’s (who Seton Hall also defeated) on Tuesday.
By: Kyle Babcock
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