Penn State basketball will play a game in Philadelphia’s Palestra this coming season, new coach Mike Rhodes told college basketball insider Jon Rothstein Monday morning.
The team last played in the historic building this past January against Purdue.
The Boilers outlasted Penn State for a 76-63 win behind 30 points from future National Player of the Year Zach Edey.
Penn State’s head coach for that game, Micah Shrewsberry, is no longer in Happy Valley. Days after Penn State’s season ended in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32, Shrewsberry accepted the head coaching job at Notre Dame. Now, Rhoades is the man in charge.
The Palestra has been open since 1927 and is one of college basketball’s most prominent venues. Penn State has played in the Palestra 61 times before— dating back to a month after it opened— and three times in the Big Ten.
The program is 2–1 against Big Ten teams at the venue, beating Michigan State in 2017 and Iowa in 2020 before losing to Purdue.
The schedule picture for Penn State basketball looks more clear now than it did at this time last week.
Penn State’s one of eight teams in the 2023 ESPN Events Invitational near Orlando, Florida, ESPN Events announced Thursday afternoon.
The tournament is scheduled over Thanksgiving week (Nov. 23-26) at State Farm Field House, near ESPN Wide World of Sports.
PSU is joined by Boise State, Butler, Florida Atlantic, Iowa State, Texas A&M, Texas, Virginia Tech and VCU.
The last school is perhaps the most intriguing that Penn State could play against.
Rhoades came from VCU, where he was the boss for six seasons before taking the Penn State job this past March.
