Penn State hoops announces Return to Rec' in February
Penn State basketball is just three weeks from the start of its 2023-24 campaign. And, on Saturday afternoon at Beaver Stadium, it made a splash with an amendment to its upcoming schedule.
Rumored this preseason, the Nittany Lions will again play a game at Rec Hall this season. Hosting Illinois on Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m., the game will be broadcast via BTN and marks the first time for the program back in the historic field house since December 2015.
It also marks the second opportunity for Penn State to play away from the Bryce Jordan Center during the conference schedule. Already hosting Michigan at the famed Palestra in Philadelphia on Jan. 7, the tip against the Illini represents a second.
Additionally, Penn State rounded out its nonconference schedule with a Dec. 18 trip to face Georgia Tech at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Bringing a team together
Returning for the start of preseason practice on Sept. 25, the Nittany Lions have been at work in the time since. On Friday evening, that included a scrimmage with Villanova. It was one of two preseason matchups the Nittany Lions will use to get ready for the 2023-24 campaign.
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The other is a trip to face Robert Morris in Moon Township for a charity exhibition. In Mike Rhoades’ first season at the helm, the Nittany Lions and Colonials will play to support Coaches vs. Cancer funding. That game will take place on Friday, Oct. 27 at the UPMC Events Center.
Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions continue to work to build a foundation for the program. Bringing together 10 new players onto the roster this offseason, led by star VCU transfer Ace Baldwin, Rhoades described what it takes to create the culture he’s looking for this summer.
“I always say when you take over a new job, the number one thing as a coaching staff is that you got to build trust with the new players. Trust with all the players,” Rhoades said. “To build trust takes time and communication. And it’s our job as a coaching staff to create the time and communicate with our players at a high level and allow our players to communicate among each other.
“I think they’ve done a great job of it. I think our staff has done a great job of it. I’ve been very happy with everybody’s approach and commitment to that, building relationships and trust.”
