This Saturday night, the Penn State men’s basketball team opens their 2026-2027 season in an exhibition game against St. Bonaventure in Buffalo, New York.
The Greenlight Networks Preseason Showcase, which is taking place inside the KeyBank Center will be a home game for the Bonnies who will only travel 70 miles from Allegany, NY.
The last time these two teams met was during the 1990-1991 season when the Nittany Lions were a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Penn State played St. Bonaventure twice that season and beat the Bonnies on both occasions.
Saturday’s game will feature a player on each team that at this time last year was a player for the opposing team.
Mason Blackwood, who was a freshman for the Nittany Lions last year, is now playing for St. Bonaventure. Dasonte Bowen, who was a Bonnie last year, is now a Nittany Lion.
Blackwood averaged 2.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 12.3 minutes played per game in 26 appearances with 1 start for PSU last year.
Bowen, a graduate student, who will more than likely be Penn State’s starting point guard this season, averaged 10.9 points, 4.8 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game for St. Bonaventure last season.
The Bonnies are led by first-year head coach, Mike Macdonald, who has spent the past 12 seasons at Division II Daemon University.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.The Nittany Lions are led by fourth-year head coach, Mike Rhoades.
St. Bonaventure finished last season with an overall record of 17-17 with an Atlantic 10 Conference record of 4-14.
Penn State finished the season last year with an overall record of 12-20 and a Big Ten record of 3-17.
The Greenlight Networks Preseason Showcase will also feature Coach Macdonald’s previous school, Daemon University, taking on St. John Fisher at 1:30 PM. The Nittany Lions and the Bonnies are slated to tip at 4:00 PM.
Nittany Sports Now will be live in Buffalo to bring you all the action.
