PHILADELPHIA - A Big 5 battle awaits the University of Pennsylvania women's basketball team following a 10-day break from action, as the Quakers will host La Salle inside The Cathedral of College Basketball on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. 

In the Series vs. La Salle: 46th Meeting
The Explorers hold the overall lead at 35-10 over the Quakers headed into the 46th meeting between the two schools. La Salle has won two-straight in the series, including a two-point overtime win at The Palestra in 2016. Prior to La Salle's current win streak, Penn had won four straight and five out of six, its longest stretch of success against any Big 5 team in program history. 

Catching the Game: ESPN+/NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus
Wednesday's game can be watched live on ESPN+ by virtue of the Ivy League's new partnership with ESPN. It will also be broadcast regionally on NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus. 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 both games.

Last Time Out: L, 46-47 vs. Maine (Nov. 25, 2018)
   -  The Quakers dropped a tough decision to the defending America East champion Black Bears in the finale of the Navy Classic last time out, falling to 4-2 on the year. The lead see-sawed three times in the final minute alone, and Penn couldn't find a bucket with 5.5 seconds remaining to take the victory.
   -  Eleah Parker led the way with 17 points, while senior guard Ashley Russell collected a career-high 12 rebounds. Parker was named to the Navy Classic All-Tournament team for her efforts, shooting 8-for-12 from the field against Maine.

Scouting the Explorers
La Salle enters Wednesday's matchup winless at 0-7 in Coach Mountain MacGillivray's first season at the helm of the Explorers. La Salle has already faced two city foes in Villanova and Drexel, while also squaring off against Ivy rival Harvard. The Explorers average just 51.6 points per game, led by an 8.0 average from Janay Sanders. 

Against the Atlantic 10 Conference
Coach McLaughlin moved to 13-12 all-time against the A-10 Conference with a 20-point victory over Saint Joseph's earlier this season. Penn has won four-straight against the conference, with the last loss coming at La Salle last December. 

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. The Quakers are in the midst of a four-game win streak against the Big 5, matching a program record set in 2014 and 2015. 

Enter Coach McLaughlin...
Under head coach Mike McLaughlin, the Quakers have won 13 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 13 career Big 5 victories.