UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – ESPN Events announced Thursday afternoon that the Penn State men's basketball team will be one of eight participating teams in the 2023 ESPN Events Invitational from Nov. 23-26 at State Farm Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports near Orlando, Fla. during the 2023-24 season.
The annual college men's basketball tournament features a loaded field that will compete over Thanksgiving weekend on Nov. 23, 24 and 26 at Walt Disney World Resort's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The strong eight-team field features six teams that made 2023 NCAA Tournament appearances and includes Boise State, Butler, Florida Atlantic, Iowa State, Penn State, Texas A&M, VCU and Virginia Tech. Tournament brackets and television network designations will be released this summer.
Penn State (23-14 in 2022-23), Boise State (24-10), Florida Atlantic (35-4), Iowa State (19-14), Texas A&M (25-10) and VCU (27-8) all made NCAA Tournament appearances in 2023, with the Nittany Lions advancing to the second round and FAU putting together a Cinderella run to the Final Four. Virginia Tech (19-15) is coming off an NIT appearance in 2023, while Butler (14-18) looks to gain momentum under second-year head coach Thad Matta.
The field features a number of familiar foes for the Nittany Lions, including Texas A&M who the Nittany Lions defeated 76-59 in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Penn State played both Butler and Virginia Tech a season ago, earning a home win over the Bulldogs in the 2022 Gavitt Tipoff Games and suffering a two-point neutral site loss to the Hokies at the 2022 Charleston Classic. The 2023 ESPN Events Invitational field also features a VCU team that was led by first-year Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades for the last six seasons. Rhoades guided the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances, a 129-60 overall record and a 72-32 Atlantic 10 Conference record throughout the last six seasons in Richmond before being announced as the 15th men's basketball head coach in Penn State history on March 29.
Owned and operated by ESPN Events, the ESPN Events Invitational is in its 17th year. Oklahoma won the most recent ESPN Events Invitational in 2022. Previous winners include Dayton in 2021 and 2011, Maryland in 2019, Villanova in 2018, West Virginia in 2017, Gonzaga in 2016, 2012 and 2008, Xavier in 2015, Kansas in 2014, Memphis in 2013, Notre Dame in 2010, Florida State in 2009, N.C. State in 2008 and Arkansas in 2007.
Tickets will be available for purchase following the announcement of the complete tournament schedule later this summer. In the meantime, fans can sign up for first access through a pre-sale page and find more information, including travel packages, on the ESPN Events Invitational website.
