Penn State Men’s Basketball: Nittany Lions Set for Preseason Bahamas Trip

With a roster full of new faces and a coaching staff looking to build an early bond, Penn State men’s basketball will get a jump on the early stages of the 2023-24 season with a seven-day foreign trip to the Bahamas for at least two exhibition games August 6-13.

The Nittany Lions will stay and play their exhibition games at Baha Mar Resort in Nassau. Exact game dates and opponents will be finalized in the coming months.

“What a perfect time for our basketball family to have a foreign trip to the Bahamas,” said new Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades. “This valuable time to work and play together during a foreign trip will help us as we move into our first season together. The trip will allow us practice time prior to our departure and game experience that can set the tone as we move forward. 

“We have many new players with a brand-new staff and the time together will hopefully create bonds and relationships that we will value very much,” continued Rhoades. “We will spend seven days in the Bahamas and play some games, but most importantly create some lifelong memories as members of Penn State Basketball. We are very appreciative of those who made this foreign trip possible.  We will take full advantage of this great opportunity.”

NCAA basketball teams are permitted to take an international tour to play exhibition games once every four years. The Nittany Lions last traveled abroad to the Bahamas in 2017 and Belgium, France and England in 2013.

The Nittany Lions enter their first season under Rhoades in 2023-24 with nearly an entire roster of new players. So far this offseason just three players from Penn State’s 2022-23 roster are still remaining on the depth chart following the departure of now former head coach Micah Shrewsberry.

Penn State is coming off a 2022-23 season that saw the Nittany Lions finish 23-14 overall and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.