Big 5 Men’s Basketball in Philadelphia: Wednesday’s Odds, Spread, and Totals

Wednesday is a massive day for the Philadelphia area's Big 5 basketball teams, four of which will be in action. The St. Joseph's Hawks will host Duquesne, while the Temple Owls do the same for East Carolina. Both games will tipoff at 7 p.m. EST. The La Salle Explorers will look to shatter a losing streak against Rhode Island at 7 p.m. EST. The Villanova Wildcats will cap off the night with a big game against the Creighton Blue Jays at 7:30 p.m. EST

The Dukes enter this game playing fairly good basketball. They have won three of their last four games, including a double-overtime thriller against Davidson, their best win of the season so far. With a 9-6 record, they figure to be a player in the Atlantic 10 conference, especially if they can outlast the Hawks, who sport a similar 8-7 record.

If their most recent common opponent is any indication, St. Joseph's might be in some trouble here. The Hawks just lost to Davidson 62-56 and will now kick off a stretch of difficult conference matchups. Duquesne is first, but it only gets harder from there, with games against Richmond, St. Bonaventure, and VCU on the docket, all of whom have stronger records than St. Joseph's. Notching a win here would do wonders for morale before the Hawks run the gauntlet.

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Note: The above data was collected on Jan. 7, 2026, and may have changed since writing.

This season has shaken out exactly how many expected it to for the Pirates. East Carolina has beaten every team it was supposed to and lost in every matchup it was supposed to, which does not bode well in this matchup. The Pirates will be big underdogs against the Owls on the road on Wednesday.

After a tough stretch of losses, Temple rebounded to rattle off six straight wins, a streak it will carry into this contest. The Pirates represent an excellent opportunity to extend Temple's winning ways on Wednesday.

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Note: The above data was collected on Jan. 7, 2026, and may have changed since writing.

After a two-game winning streak, things have been all downhill for La Salle. The Explorers endured two separate three-game losing streaks and have currently lost five in a row, four of which were by double-digits. There is not a single easy game left on the schedule for La Salle, including this one against a 9-6 Rams squad.

While the aforementioned 9-6 mark does not seem all that impressive, Rhode Island has faced a surprisingly difficult schedule. Their only losses are against quality teams like McNeese, Providence, and George Mason. La Salle marks a huge step down in competition, something the Rams should take advantage of. 

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Note: The above data was collected on Jan. 7, 2026, and may have changed since writing.

The Blue Jays have already played some big games this season, but this might be the biggest. Villanova is a highly regarded opponent that Creighton has a legitimate chance to beat, and the contest is made even more important by the fact that both are Big East teams. Blue Jays' fans should have this one marked on their calendars.

The Wildcats are enjoying an excellent start to the season. They are 12-2, and their only two defeats have come against teams that are both currently in the top 10, Michigan and BYU. Creighton marks the beginning of a tough stretch of games in which Villanova encounters Providence, St. John's, and UConn.

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Note: The above data was collected on Jan. 7, 2026, and may have changed since writing.