Temple recorded a first in Philadelphia women’s basketball with a 76-62 win over
Villanova on Dec. 6. The victory earned the Owls the inaugural women’s Big 5 Classic title. Nearly three months later, Big 5 schools are angling to secure a spot in the
NCAA Tournament . With postseason hopes on the line, the upcoming conference tournaments have crucial importance. Here are 10 players from City Series programs leading their teams into the conference playoffs.
Tiarra East, Temple
Since scoring 26 points in the Big 5 Classic championship, the senior guard has proved to be one of the city’s top players. East leads Temple (18-10, 12-5 American Athletic Conference) with 14.2 points per game and is averaging 5.0 rebounds. She scored 21 points in Temple’s 91-79 defeat of Memphis on Feb. 25.
Tristen Taylor, Temple
The sophomore point guard’s 109 assists this season make her a key player for Temple to create scoring opportunities. Taylor is one of the most productive starters on the court for the Owls. She has the highest assist/turnover ratio in the AAC, conceding just 45 turnovers this season. She averages 6.9 points.
Jasmine Bascoe, Villanova
On a Villanova team that brought in seven new players this season, its undeniable star is Bascoe, a freshman guard. The 5-foot-7 native of Canada is leading Villanova (17-13, 11-7 Big East) with 16.2 points per game. Her 118 assists this season rank second in the Big East, behind UConn’s Paige Bueckers with 130. Bascoe also has a team-high 57 steals. Bascoe scored a career-high 27 points Sunday in Villanova’s 70-55 loss to Creighton.
Maddie Webber, Villanova
As Villanova’s top returner, the sophomore guard is playing some of her best basketball late in the season. Webber recorded a career-high 30 points at DePaul on Feb. 12. She averages 13.4 points and 2.9 rebounds.
Denae Carter, Villanova
A senior forward, Carter came back from an ACL injury that cost her all of last season to become an integral part of Villanova’s defense. She is Villanova’s top rebounder at 6.6 per game. She also leads the team with 33 blocks. The Philadelphia native played her first two seasons at Mississippi State before transferring to Villanova in 2023.
Ashleigh Connor, La Salle
While La Salle (9-22, 3-15 Atlantic 10) closes out a disappointing season, one bright spot for the team has been Connor, a redshirt sophomore guard. Connor joined the Explorers this season after playing her first two seasons at St. Louis. She leads La Salle with 11.3 points per game and is averaging 5.0 rebounds.
Amaris Baker, Drexel
Baker, a senior guard, is one reason for Drexel’s dominant 12-4 record in the Coastal Athletic Association this season. With the conference’s leading scorer on the court, the Dragons (16-10) aim to defend the CAA championship for another NCAA Tournament bid. Baker, who previously played at Kennesaw State and Harcum before transferring to Drexel last season, averages 17.2 points and 3.9 rebounds.
Stina Almqvist, Penn
The senior guard is completing her illustrious career at Penn (15-11, 6-7 Ivy League) as the Quakers’ leading scorer for the last two seasons. A 6-1 native of Sweden, Almqvist is averaging 17.7 points and 7.7 rebounds. She ranks third in scoring and second in rebounding in the Ivy.
Laura Ziegler, St. Joseph’s
Ziegler, a junior forward, is averaging 18.1 points for the Hawks (21-8, 12-6) as the top scorer among Big 5 schools. The native of Denmark was a first-team All-Big 5 selection last year. Ziegler is averaging 10.8 rebounds with a team-high 120 assists and 28 blocks.
Mackenzie Smith, St. Joseph’s
The senior guard’s shooting from beyond the arc has been one important component of a successful season so far for St. Joe’s. She is shooting 47.2% from the field and 43.4% from three this season. Smith, a native of Nova Scotia, is the team’s second-leading scorer with 14.4 points per game. She made 5 of 7 three-pointers in a 59-50 loss to conference leader Richmond on Feb. 13.
