Penn State basketball put the finishing touches on its nonconference slate for Mike Rhoades‘ second season with the program in late-August. Thursday afternoon, the Nittany Lions learned the specifics of its other 20 games for the 2024-25 regular season.

Announced by the Big Ten on its network, the 20-game slate is one marked by a new format with an expanded 18 programs now in play. That format is specified by three opponents that will be played both home and away, with another seven apiece played solely at home or on the road.

For Penn State, the full schedule now looks as follows:

Penn State full 2024-25 schedule

(Home games bolded)

Monday, Nov. 4 – Binghamton
Friday, Nov. 8 – UMBC
Tuesday, Nov. 12 – Saint Francis (Pa.)
Friday, Nov. 15 – Virginia Tech – CFG Bank Arena, Baltimore 
Wednesday, Nov. 20 – Purdue Ft. Wayne
Monday, Nov. 25 – Sunshine Slam – Fordham 
Tuesday, Nov. 26 – Sunshine Slam – Clemson OR San Francisco
Sunday, Dec. 1 – Buffalo
Thursday, Dec. 5 – Purdue
Tuesday, Dec. 10 – at Rutgers
Saturday, Dec. 14 – Coppin State
Saturday, Dec. 21 – at Drexel – Wells Fargo Arena
Sunday, Dec. 29 – Penn
Thursday, Jan. 2 – Northwestern
Sunday, Jan. 5 – Indiana – Palestra
Wednesday, Jan. 8 – at Illinois
Sunday, Jan. 12 – Oregon
Wednesday, Jan. 15 – at Michigan State
Monday, Jan. 20 – Rutgers
Friday, Jan. 24 – at Iowa
Monday, Jan. 27 – at Michigan
Thursday, Jan. 30 – Ohio State
Tuesday, Feb. 4 – Minnesota
Saturday, Feb. 8 – at UCLA
Tuesday, Feb. 11 – at Southern Cal
Saturday, Feb. 15 – Washington
Wednesday, Feb. 19 – Nebraska
Saturday, Feb. 22 – at Minnesota
Wednesday, Feb. 26 – at Indiana
Saturday, Mar. 1 – Maryland
Sunday, Mar. 8 – Wisconsin

Penn State basketball at a glance

Penn State returns five major contributors from Rhoades’ debut season with the program. Described as the head of the snake, Ace Baldwin returns for a fifth year of college ball at point guard, having forgone moving into the professional ranks this past offseason. Alongside him, the Nittany Lions will feature returning players with starting experience including Puff Johnson, Nick Kern, and Zach Hicks, plus D’Marco Dunn.

Evaluating the new Big Ten hoops landscape

With its expanded set of opponents, Penn State’s slate of reigning NCAA Tournament participants also expands. Last season, Oregon was among four Pac-12 teams to earn an invitation to March Madness, getting there as an 11-seed by winning the conference tournament. The Ducks earned a first round win over South Carolina before bowing out to Creighton in the Round of 32. Penn State will host Oregon on Sunday, Jan. 12 at the BJC.

Other reigning NCAA Tournament teams back on Penn State’s schedule are national runner-up Purdue, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Northwestern, Illinois, and Michigan State. Of those games, Oregon, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Northwestern will be at home as single-plays. Nebraska, Illinois, and Michigan State will all be on the road as single-plays.

Talk about it with our premium members in the Lions Den, here!

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