It looks like Penn State basketball is going to be returning to Philadelphia this season.
Per college basketball analyst Rocco Miller, Penn State is finalizing an agreement with Drexel to play Dec. 21 at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center in what will be a neutral site game.
NEWS: Drexel and Penn State are finalizing an agreement to play a neutral site game on December 21st inside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, according to multiple sources. #CAAHoops #B1G pic.twitter.com/EFOC24MKxp
— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) June 21, 2024
This certainly makes sense.
Penn State is a big deal in the Philadelphia area, and although PSU doesn’t currently have any players from Philadelphia on the roster, an area that’s helped the program to success in the not-too-distant past. One of the best players in school history, Lamar Stevens, played at Philly’s Roman Catholic High School.
Philadelphia has a rich basketball history, something Penn State’s second year coach, Mike Rhoades, understands.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Rhoades grew up in Schuylkill County and played college basketball at Lebanon Valley, which is roughly two hours from Philly.
Rhoades is more than fine with Penn State playing at neutral sites.
“I’ll play anybody anywhere,” Rhoades said last January. “If it’s in The Palestra, even better. That’s cool. It would be great being down this way for so many reasons. Players on the team, recruiting, our fans are here. But look, I don’t know if you know this, but my grandfather played at Villanova like late ’20s, early ’30s. He played in The Palestra. I got to coach Penn State in my home state and beat Michigan in The Palestra. Come on, man. Pretty cool. That’s the fun of that stuff. It’s one game. It’s a cool game. We got a win. I got to coach a team in The Palestra. We get on the bus and get a cheesesteak back to the snow. I’m all for that.”
The Palestra, of course, is arguably college basketball’s most historic arena and a place Penn State played under Rhoades last season (vs. Michigan) and under Micah Shrewsberry the year before (vs. Purdue). It’s not yet official if Penn State will be going back there this season, but PSU will be facing the Palestra’s main regular tenant, Penn, Dec. 29 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
