Best 5 matchups for Penn State basketball at the Palestra this season
Penn State will be returning to the “Cathedral of College Basketball” for a home game during the 2023-24 season. Last year, they faced off against number one ranked Purdue, which was the first time since 2007 the number one team in the country played a game at the Palestra.
The fairytale hopes that Penn State could knock off the best team in the country was squashed when Purdue beat the Nittany Lions 76-63 in the historical Philadelphia venue.
That was the first time that Penn State lost a Big Ten game when playing at the Palestra. They previously played against Michigan State in 2017, winning 72-63 and then again in 2020 versus Iowa, knocking off the Hawkeyes 89-86.
Penn State has used playing at the Palestra to bring their program front and center to the Philadelphia area for recruiting purposes. Philadelphia has been a hot spot for the program over the years, so playing a high profile game in a famous arena has been a good way to put the team into the spotlight.
Mike Rhoades tells me that Penn State will play one Big Ten home game next season at The Palestra.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 15, 2023
With the Nittany Lions returning back to the Palestra for another Big Ten game this season, here are five of the best matchups that could potentially happen.
Penn State vs. Maryland
Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY SportsThis might not be the most exciting matchup on paper based on the names of the programs, but when these two teams play each other, it’s normally a good game.
Since 2019-20 season, these two programs have faced off six times with Penn State holding a 4-2 advantage. None of those games had a winning margin in the double digits, with seven points being the largest margin of victory. Last season, Penn State beat the number 21 ranked Maryland by one point.
Pitting these two “east coast” teams against each other in Philadelphia could draw a massive.
Penn State vs. Indiana
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One of college basketball’s most iconic teams playing in the “Cathedral of College Basketball.” That just has a nice ring to it.
This could potentially be one of the most anticipated matchups of the season if this is the game. Indiana is trying to build their program back to national relevance and Penn State is in a new era. While the Hoosiers have lost one of the most wellknown players in Trayce Jackson-Davis, they have brought in top tier talent.
Even though Indiana is a blue blood basketball program and Penn State is anything but that, it’s actually been the Nittany Lions who have had more success in this series recently, winning three out of four games.
Penn State vs. Michigan
Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Anytime that a big event can be headlined with Penn State vs. Michigan there will be interest.
Michigan has the history that is known by basketball fans anywhere in the country. Bringing that program into Philadelphia to play against Penn State would create an electric atmosphere.
In the last four games, Michigan has three wins compared to Penn State’s one. However, the last time they played this past season, the Nittany Lions won by 22 points.
Penn State vs. Michigan State
Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Why not bring back the matchup that started this entire thing for Penn State?
Six years later, having these two teams play would certainly generate a ton of interest. Combine that with the fact that Michigan State very well could be the best team in the conference and it’s certain to be a hit.
Success has not come often for Penn State in this matchup. The Nittany Lions only have four wins against the Spartans since the 2010-11 season. If the idea is to win in the Palestra, this might not be the smartest matchup, but if the idea is to put together a big event, this would be a home run.
Penn State vs. Rutgers
Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
This feels like an absolute no brainer to pit Penn State and Rutgers against each other in Philadelphia.
Both team’s fanbases would travel and get up for this game. The close proximity would guarantee the arena will be packed. There would be major interest in seeing this game, especially because of the history of these programs. There is no other team in the Big Ten that Penn State has played more than Rutgers.
In the last six matchups between these two teams, both have won three games. Penn State had a three game win streak from 2020-2022. Rutgers ended that streak in March of 2022 and is currently on their own three game win streak.
Penn State and Rutgers in a famous arena, in front of a packed house, trying to keep and end a winning streak would be a must see game.
