PHILADELPHIA - Home sweet home.

After a two-game stint on the road to open the season, the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team returns to the friendly confines of The Cathedral of College Basketball to start both its home and Big 5 seasons. The reigning Big 5 champion Quakers will welcome in cross-town rival Saint Joseph's for a 7 p.m. tip. 

In the Series vs. Saint Joseph's: 44th Meeting
The Hawks own a dominating advantage in the all-time series between the two schools at 40-3, dating back to the first meeting in the 1973-74 season. Saint Joseph's won the first 30 meetings against Penn before the Quakers' first win in 2004. Two of Penn's all-time wins over the Hawks have come under Head Coach Mike McLaughlin, in 2014 and last year, on Hawk Hill. Penn's 57-50 victory last December was the first of three wins for Penn in the Big 5 en route to the city championship. 

Catching the Game: ESPN+
Thursday's game can be watched live on ESPN+ by virtue of the Ivy League's new partnership with ESPN. In-game Twitter updates and video can be found at @PennWBB. A complete recap, box score and highlights can be found on PennAthletics.com shortly after the conclusion of the game.

Last Time Out: L, 77-55 at #1/1 Notre Dame (Nov. 12, 2018)
   -  The Quakers put up a valiant effort in defeat at the hands of the defending national champion and top-rated team in the country on Monday, dropping a 75-55 decision at Notre Dame. Penn was behind just three points after the first quarter and 12 entering halftime before an early Irish surge in the third period helped put the game out of reach.
   -  Senior captain Ashley Russell led the way for the Red and Blue with 15 points, shooting 50 percent from the field. Junior Kendall Grasela joined her in double figures with a career-high 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting, playing 37 minutes, also a personal best. In the post, Eleah Parker and Emily Anderson combined for 10 rebounds, while the Quakers turnover over the Irish 19 times, converting their miscues into 17 points.

Scouting the Hawks
Saint Joseph's enters Thursday's game at 0-2 on the year, sporting losses to both Temple and Drexel. The Hawks have struggled on offense, scoring just 52 and 34 points in both games respectively, but have done a good job holding their opponents to low numbers as well. SJU was picked to finish fifth in the preseason A-10 poll.

Against the Atlantic 10 Conference
Coach McLaughlin is 12-12 all-time against the A-10, as Penn plays both La Salle and Saint Joseph's each season as part of the Big 5 rotation. The Quakers featured a successful season against the league last year, going 3-1 with a loss to the Explorers but a win against the Hawks, Rhode Island and VCU.

Defending Big 5 Champions
With a 74-59 victory at Temple, the Quakers claimed a share of the Big 5 Championship with a 3-1 record on the year, their second in program history. After dropping their first city contest at La Salle, Penn rallied to defeat Saint Joseph's (57-50), Villanova (79-77) and Temple, with each Big 5 game coming on the road for the Red and Blue.

Enter Coach McLaughlin...
Under head coach Mike McLaughlin, the Quakers have won 12 Big 5 games in the last seven years, including 10 victories within the last five years. Prior to that, Penn won a total of seven Big 5 games between 1994-2009 (15 seasons). Overall, in the 30 years prior to the Coach McLaughlin era, Penn won just 14 Big 5 games. He already owns the school record with 12 career Big 5 victories. Coach McLaughlin is the first coach in Penn history to defeat all four Big 5 schools.

Can't Get to 5-0? It's a No-Go.
The Quakers have won 58-straight games when holding their opponents to 49 points or less. The last time a team defeated the Quakers despite being held under 50 points was January 16, 2013, a 48-44 loss to Big 5 rival Villanova.