For the Penn men’s and women’s basketball programs, this season is about proving the naysayers wrong.

On the men’s side, the Quakers were picked to finish seventh in this year’s Ivy League preseason poll after an 11-18 season and the key departures of two guards in senior transfer Clark Slajchert and Villanova Tyler Perkins. The women were picked to finish fourth in the conference after a year in which they lost star goalie Jordan Obi, who, alongside senior goalie Stina Almqvist, led the team to the semifinals of the the Ivy League.

Before the men’s vs. NJIT tipoff on Monday (7 p.m., ESPN+) and Merrimack for the women on Nov. 8 (2 p.m., ESPN+), here are 10 things you need to know about both.

» LEARN MORE: Five big questions about Big 5 men’s teams this season

Meet Penn’s new (starting) point guard

Penn men’s coach Steve Donahue is excited about the prospect of Dylan Williams, a JUCO transfer from Triton College in Illinois this offseason. Williams, a 5-foot-11 junior guard, averaged 15 points last season, shooting 40.3 percent from three, and led his team in assists with 5.4 per game.

“Dylan was a quarterback in (high school) football, and you can see he’s used to gathering information, telling people where to be, and I just think that makes us a better basketball team -ball,” Donahue said.

Almqvist ‘makes incredible debut’

On the women’s side, senior guard Stina Almqvist is Penn’s top offensive option this season following the graduation of guard Jordan Obi, who averaged 14.8 points per game last season.

“(Almqvist) is having an incredible start to the year. It’s a tough match for anyone. She has the size to play on the perimeter, the size to play around the basket, and she has a really good feel for the game,” McLaughlin said.

Eurostepping in Europe

The Penn women’s basketball team took a team trip to Europe this summer, visiting Croatia and Italy. The team competed against three international clubs, winning all three. Head coach Mike McLaughlin and his players spoke enthusiastically about the trip, believing it prepared them for the upcoming season.

“(The trip) really made a difference because we got back (to Penn) in early August,” Almqvist said. “Usually when I come back at the end of August when school starts, there’s so much going on… Already two weeks off and becoming best friends on this trip has really helped us get through it. get a head start. I wish I had taken this trip as a freshman.

Spinoso’s new role

Last season, senior center Nick Spinoso had the second-highest assist rate in the Ivy League and led the Quakers in total assists (xx). With the addition of Williams, Donahue looks to put his big in less game-like situations and run the offense through his point guard.

“My feeling is we’re going to put some guards in those (playing) decisions,” Donahue said. “They’re going to be better with the ball and make other people better. Nick can focus on scoring at the rim, shooting the three, recovering ball screens and getting out of them,” Donahue said.

A notion that suits Spinoso entirely.

“(Coach Donahue) wants me to do less, which will do more for the team, and I definitely feel that,” he said. “It’s an adjustment. Last year there was a big adjustment after Clark (Slajchert) fell. I felt like I had so much to catch up on. It’s almost more of a confidence thing, I have to trust these guys to get in and out. I think those passes and that play will come with the flow of the game.”

Gayle’s continued development

Last season, Mataya Gayle led the Quakers in assists while scoring 14.3 points per game. For her efforts, she received Ivy Rookie of the Year honors. The second-year guard appears to be part of a one-two punch with Almqvist this upcoming season.

“(We want to) continue to develop (Gayle’s) game,” McLaughlin said. “As far as her leadership ability, she feels for the game at times the run, at times the pace. She’s still learning those aspects of the game. That’s why I think our ceiling is a lot higher than what you see right now.

Sam Brown is next

Guard Sam Brown looks to avoid a sophomore slump. Brown averaged 10.9 points per game last year, starting in 18 games. With the departure of Slajchert, who averaged 18 points per game last season, expectations are high for Brown to take the next step in Slajchert’s absence.

“It would be natural for me to assume that a larger role would be taken on,” Brown said. “However, we are getting new guys and the roles are changing. Frankly, I am ready to play the role assigned to me to the extent possible.

» LEARN MORE: Penn has lost some women’s basketball stars, but Quakers see change as a good thing

Ahead of the Women’s Big 5 Classic

This offseason saw changes for Big 5 women’s basketball, adding Drexel and adopting a pod schedule identical to the men’s conference. The new format was well received by Penn players, who hope to win the inaugural Big 5 Women’s Classic, held at Finneran Pavilion in Villanova on Friday, December 6.

“Our goal is to get to that (Big 5) championship,” Gayle said. “From an underclassman perspective, we want to do it for our seniors. »

Perkins vs. Penn

Penn will play two matchups to determine its spot in the Big 5 Classic on Dec. 7 at the Wells Fargo Center. The first is a Nov. 15 matchup at Palestra against last year’s Big 5 champions, Saint Joseph’s (8 p.m., ESPN+). The second game will see the Quakers face Villanova on November 19 (7 p.m., Peacock). Last season, the Quakers pulled off a stunning 76-72 win over the Wildcats at home as Penn freshman guard Tyler Perkins scored a team-high 22 points. This will be Perkins’ first meeting with his former team after an impressive freshman year in which he broke the Quakers’ freshman scoring record.

» LEARN MORE: Big questions about Big 5 women’s basketball teams this season