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

Two of the Philadelphia area's Big 5 basketball teams will take to the hardwood on Wednesday night. The Villanova Wildcats will kick things off with a hugely important home matchup against the Seton Hall Pirates at 6:30 p.m. The Wildcats are third in the Big East while the Pirates sit one spot behind them, adding significant implications to the contest. St. Joseph's will play host to the George Washington Revolutionaries at 7:00 p.m. in a game that is not quite as important to the Atlantic 10's standings. 

Seton Hall's season has been defined by streaks, and if that past is any indication, it might be in for an upset win on Wednesday. The Pirates have rattled off a couple of wins in a row, first against Xavier and then against Marquette. The guard trio of AJ Staton-McCray, Adam Clark, and Tajuan Simpkins has provided the bulk of the scoring, and will need to improve massively from their last outing against Villanova, when none of the three scored in double-digits. Their play is the key to a potential upset on Wednesday.

The Wildcats have been defined by their ability to maintain an extremely high floor. They have been incredibly consistent in beating teams they are supposed to beat, only suffering defeats at the hands of some of the best teams in the nation, as well as one outlying defeat to Creighton. Head coach Kevin Willard's unit upheld that standard of play in their previous matchup with Seton Hall, a game that they controlled throughout the second half. Now, the Wildcats have the advantage of playing at home, giving them an even bigger leg up against the Pirates here.

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Note: The above data was collected on Feb. 4, 2026, and may have changed since writing.

At first glance, the Revolutionaries are in the midst of a pretty good season. That optimism unravels with a closer look at George Washington's wins and losses. Every victory, save for a couple of victories against the Richmond Spiders, came against subpar competition. Games that represented a step up in competition have resulted in a host of defeats for GW, creating significant doubt that the Revolutionaries are as good as their record says. A matchup with a capable St. Joseph's team is a good opportunity to disprove that notion.

The Hawks have not had the same issues against quality teams as their opponent. Within the last couple of weeks, St. Joseph's has pulled out wins against Dayton, St. Bonaventure, and Duquesne, all well-regarded teams that are tough outs. A matchup with the Revolutionaries will not be a layup, but the Hawks have survived in much tougher contests.

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Note: The above data was collected on Feb. 4, 2026, and may have changed since writing.