Aug. 1, 2012
2012-13 Non-conference Schedule
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; Aug. 1, 2012 - Penn State will play eight home games, take on some of the nation's top teams in Puerto Rico, and return to Philadelphia for the fifth time in the last six seasons during the 2012-13 men's basketball non-conference slate, dates for which were announced Wednesday. Tip times and television arrangements will be announced at a later date for the slate which features four teams that won at least 20 games and reached the 2012 post-season.
Games against Bucknell, Pennsylvania and Duquesne, which all finished the 2011-12 campaign in the top 111 of the RPI, as well as an ACC/Big Ten Challenge match-up with Boston College highlight the home slate. The non-conference road campaign is highlighted by a trip to the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and a match-up against La Salle at the Palestra in Philadelphia.
"We have put together a challenging non-conference schedule that will help prepare this team for Big Ten Conference," said second-year head coach Patrick Chambers, whose team will feature eight underclassmen and five upperclassmen. "It's great to renew some rivalries with some of our fellow Pennsylvania schools."
Fans will get their first chance to see the Nittany Lions in action on Saturday, Nov. 3, when Penn State takes on Philadelphia University, Chambers' alma mater, in exhibition action at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State will play the first of five regular season opponents from the state of Pennsylvania when they officially open the 2012-13 season vs. St. Francis (Pa.) on Friday, Nov. 9, at the BJC.
Penn State will head to San Juan, Puerto Rico the following week were the Lions will compete in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Nov. 15, 16 and 18. Penn State's first round opponent on Thursday, Nov. 15, will be ESPN.com preseason No. 6 ranked North Carolina State in a game to be televised live on ESPN2 at 5:00 p.m. The Lions will face either Providence or Massachusetts in the second round of the tournament that also features Oklahoma State, Tennessee, Akron and UNC Asheville in the field.
The Lions return for three games at the BJC starting Friday, Nov. 23, with a match-up with Bucknell. The "Black Friday" meeting with the Bison, which returns four starters from a 25-10 team that reached the 2012 NIT, will be the first of a three-game series between the programs and will mark the 100th meeting overall and first since 2006.
The Lions will look to build on a string of four wins in the last five ACC/Big Ten Challenges with a rematch with Boston College on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at the BJC. The Lions downed the Eagles, 62-54, in last year's Challenge game at B.C.
Penn State will close out the three-game home stand by taking on Pennsylvania on Saturday, Dec. 1. The game will be the first of a two-game home-and-home series between the programs with the Lions taking on the Quakers at the Palestra next year. The Quakers posted a 20-13 mark last year and were the runner-up in the Ivy League before playing in the CBI.
Penn State will play in Philadelphia for the fifth time in the last six years on Wednesday, Dec. 5, when the Lions face La Salle at the Palestra in the first of a two-game home-and-home series between the teams that sees the Explorers return to the BJC next season. The Explorers posted a 21-13 mark last year before falling to Minnesota in the first round of the NIT. It will mark the Lions' first game at the Palestra since playing three games in the venerable arena in 2008 - downing Penn (85-74) and then falling to Rhode Island (77-72) and defeating Towson (78-54) in the Philly Hoop Group Classic.
The Lions will close out the non-conference slate with four-straight home games starting Saturday, Dec. 8, with a contest vs. Army. Delaware State comes to the BJC on Saturday, Dec. 15, and a week later New Hampshire visits on Sunday, Dec. 23. Penn State will continue what has been a close recent series with Duquesne on Saturday, Dec. 29, at the BJC. The Dukes claimed a 66-59 victory last year in Pittsburgh, while the Lions won, 77-73, in 2010 in the Jordan Center. The 2012 contest will mark the first of a new four-game home-and-home series between the programs.
Penn State men's basketball season tickets and PNC Bank Flex Books are available for purchase for a 2012-2013 home schedule that will feature 17 regular season games, including nine clashes with Big Ten opponents, and one pre-season exhibition in the Bryce Jordan Center. Fans who wish to purchase tickets should call 1-800-NITTANY or visit GoPSUsports.com/tickets.
Adult Nittany Lion basketball season ticket pricing for lower bowl seats between the baselines (Sections 104-107 and 121-124) remained unchanged from the previous season at $200. All other lower bowl and upper deck season ticket seats have been priced at $180. Included in the season ticket holder benefits package this year is a season long complimentary parking pass good for all Bryce Jordan Center lots, which will begin charging $5 for parking at all Nittany Lion and Lady Lion home games this season.
PNC Flex Books are priced at $99 again this year. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game and the Lady Lions' Pink Zone game. New this season is a $50 youth season ticket that includes membership in the Highmark Kids Club. The youth season ticket will allow children to enjoy the benefits of the Kids Club, and sit with their parents or families at all home games. For more information on the Highmark Kids Club, please visit GoPSUSports.com/KidsClub.
First-team All-Big Ten guard Tim Frazier (Houston, Texas) returns for his senior season to lead a Penn State team that returns four players that started at least 16 games last year and its top two scorers in Frazier, who finished second in the Big Ten at 18.8 ppg, and junior guard Jermaine Marshall (Etters, Pa.), who posted 10.8 ppg. Bolstering that group will be Southern Mississippi transfer D.J. Newbill (Philadelphia, Pa.), who sat out last season after posting 9.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg as a freshman for the Golden Eagles in 2010-11. Penn State will return 70 percent of its scoring, 60 percent of its rebounding and 78 percent of its assists from a team that posted a 12-20 mark in Chambers' first season.
For all the latest information, notes, pictures and related links on Penn State basketball follow Associate Athletic Communications Director Brian Siegrist on Twitter (@PSUSTRETCH) and check GoPSUsports.com. The Nittany Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatebasketball.
-NITTANY LIONS-
2012-13 Non-Conference Schedule Breakdown
School (Final 2012 RPI)- W/L - Postseason - Conference - W/L - Finish
St. Francis (312) - 6-23 - none - Northeast - 5-13 - 10th
N.C. State (36) - 24-13 - NCAA (Sweet 16) - ACC - 9-7 - T4th
Bucknell (81) - 25-10 - NIT (2nd rd) - Patriot - 12-2 - 1st reg. season
Boston College (245) - 9-22 - none - ACC - 4-12 - T9th
Pennsylvania (105) - 20-13 - CBI (2nd rd) - Ivy - 11-3 - 2nd
La Salle (95) - 21-13 - NIT (1st rd) - A-10 - 9-7 - T5th
Army (303) - 12-18 - none - Patriot - 5-9 - 6th
Delaware State (247) - 15-14 - none - Mid-Eastern - 12-4 - 3rd
New Hampshire (296) - 13-16 - none - America East - 7-9 - 5th
Duquesne (111) - 16-15 - none - A-10 - 7-9 - T9th