Penn State Men’s Basketball to Face Pitt at the Palestra

The stage is set for a historic Keystone clash.

Penn State men’s basketball will take on in-state rival Pitt on Nov. 8 at the historic Palestra in Philadelphia, the programs announced on Thursday morning. The matchup will be the 150th between the two schools, with the Nittany Lions leading the all-time series 76-73. It will also be the venue’s 100th anniversary season.

“Games like this are what college basketball is all about: great history, passionate fan bases and high-level competition,” head coach Mike Rhoades said in the release. “The Palestra is one of the most iconic venues in college basketball, and the opportunity to celebrate its 100th anniversary while renewing an in-state rivalry for the 150th time makes this a special event for everyone connected to our program. We know there will be tremendous energy in the building, and we’re excited for our players to experience that atmosphere as they represent Penn State. We can’t wait to take the floor in Philadelphia and compete.”

The announcement marks the first confirmed opponent on Penn State’s 2026-27 schedule, though the team will also compete at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, playing at least two of Memphis, Mississippi State and Wake Forest in a double-elimination format.

Penn State’s last meeting against the Panthers came last December at the GIANT Center in Hershey, which resulted in a lopsided 80-46 Pitt victory.

The Nittany Lions have played in 64 games at The Cathedral of College Basketball dating back to its debut season in 1927 — two years before Rec Hall was constructed — with a 25-39 overall record. Rec Hall was designed by the same architect, Charles Klauder, who began the project just weeks after the Palestra debuted.

Game time, television information and ticket details will be released at a later date, according to the release.