Penn State basketball added a big out-of-conference match-up today that is sure to excite Pennsylvania college hoops fans. Pitt is back on the schedule renewing a rivalry that goes back decades.
The Nittany Lions will head to the Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh on Dec. 3 to play the Pitt Panthers for the first time since 2005. The game is part of the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
“We are excited to continue a tremendous rivalry with such a long and storied tradition between our two universities,” Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. “It’s great that we can be a part of an event that also matches the top two basketball conferences in the nation.”
This will be Pitt’s first Big Ten/ACC Challenge after joining the ACC conference last year. On top of the in-state emotions, former Pitt guard Josh Johnson transferred to Penn State in December, so there’s more than just an out-of-conference win on the line.
Penn State will have a chance to close the gap on Pitt’s all-time series lead, which began in 1906 and stands at 76-68. Penn State last played Pitt in 2005, but hasn’t picked up a victory against the Panthers since 2000.
Pitt adds to Penn State’s already impressive out-of-conference schedule in 2013-2014, which includes Bucknell, Penn, Duquesne, and La Salle. The Nittany Lions will also travel to Brooklyn in November for the Barclays Center Classic, which includes St. Johns, Georgia Tech, and Ole Miss.
