Penn State men’s basketball is headed south for the winter, sort of.
According to Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today, the Nittany Lions will play Fordham to begin the 2024 Sunshine Slam in Daytona Beach, Florida. Clemson, Fordham, and San Francisco round out the remaining three teams competing against PSU at the Ocean Center on Nov. 25-26.
The 2024 Sunshine Classic was formally announced in late May but did not include Penn State’s initial opponent. The tournament consists of two separate brackets: the Beach bracket—including Penn State—and the Ocean bracket. Chicago State, Drexel, Radford, and Purdue For Wayne comprise the Ocean division.
Champions will be crowned in both brackets. 2024 marks the fourth year of the Sunshine Slam. Utah won the inaugural event in 2021, followed by UAB and Florida State last season.
Rothstein said an official tournament schedule announcement is expected soon. Semifinal games in each bracket begin the 25th, which championship events will commence the following day.
The program’s full non-conference schedule has yet to be announced. Mike Rhodes’ team plays Virginia Tech in Baltimore on Nov. 15 as part of the 2024 Hall of Fame Series.
