Penn State Faces Lafayette in Charity Exhibition at Lebanon Valley College Friday NightPenn State Faces Lafayette in Charity Exhibition at Lebanon Valley College Friday Night
Penn State Athletics

Penn State Faces Lafayette in Charity Exhibition at Lebanon Valley College Friday Night

Tipoff from Sorrentino Gymnasium set for 8 p.m.

Live Stats Game Notes

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State men’s basketball team gets an early start to the 2024-25 season Friday night when the Nittany Lions travel to Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa. to face Lafayette in a charity exhibition game. Tipoff from Sorrentino Gymnasium is set for 8 p.m.

OPENING TIPS

  • Penn State and Lafayette team up for a charity exhibition game Friday night at Sorrentino Gymnasium on the campus of Lebanon Valley College to kick off the 2023-24 season.
  • Proceeds from the sold-out exhibition game between the Nittany Lions and Leopards benefit both Hope Within Ministries and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
  • Peter and Ann Tombros Endowed Head Coach Mike Rhoades will return to his alma mater when the Nittany Lions square off against Lafayette. Rhoades led Lebanon Valley College to the 1994 NCAA Division III National Championship as the tournament’s Co-Outstanding Player. Rhoades was the USA Today Division III National Player of the Year in 1995, a two-time NABC All-American, three-time NABC All-Region and three-time Middle Atlantic Conference Player of the Year. He was the school’s all-time scoring leader (2,050) until 1999, but still holds Lebanon Valley records in free-throw percentage (.845), assists (668) and steals (212). His No. 5 jersey is one of five basketball jerseys retired by LVC.
  • Penn State enters its second season under Rhoades in 2024-25 and the Nittany Lions return five of their top seven scorers from a season ago, headlined by reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Preseason All-Big Ten selection Ace Baldwin Jr.
  • The Nittany Lions return 60.7% of minutes played a season ago, the second-highest returning percentage among Big Ten teams, and 58.9% of their scoring production.

HOMECOMING

  • Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades brings the Nittany Lions home to his alma mater when Penn State faces Lafayette at Lebanon Valley College Friday night.
  • Rhoades played at Lebanon Valley College from 1991-1995 under coaches Pat Flannery (currently on Penn State's staff) and Brad McAlester (current Lebanon Valley Head Coach). Rhoades guided the Flying Dutchmen to the 1994 NCAA Division III National Championship with a 66-59 overtime win over NYU. He was named the tournament’s Co-Outstanding Player. The entire team was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in October 2014, the 20th anniversary of the title.
  • The guard was the USA Today Division III National Player of the Year in 1995, two-time NABC All-American, three-time NABC All-Region and three-time Middle Atlantic Conference Player of the Year.
  • He was the school’s all-time scoring leader (2,050) until 1999, but still holds Lebanon Valley records in free-throw percentage (.845), assists (668) and steals (212). His No. 5 jersey is one of five basketball jerseys retired by LVC.

FOR A GOOD CAUSE

  • Friday's exhibition game is sold out and all proceeds are benefitting both Hope Within Ministries and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
  • Hope Within Ministries helps provide primary health care to the uninsured low-income residents of Lancaster, Dauphin and Lebanon counties.
  • The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is dedicated to supporting individuals affected by multiple sclerosis and funding research to find a cure for the disease.

TEST RUN

  • Friday's exhibition game won't count towards official records or statistics, but marks the second-straight season that the Nittany Lions will partake in an open charity exhibition game.
  • Penn State defeated Robert Morris in a road exhibition game a season ago, taking down the Colonials by a score of 68-58.

SCOUTING LAFAYETTE

  • The Leopards enter their second season under head coach Mike McGarvey and are coming off a 2023-24 campaign that saw Lafayette finish 11-21 overall and 10-8 in Patriot League play. Lafayette earned the No. 3 seed in the 2024 Patriot League Tournament.
  • Lafayette returns five of its top seven scorers from a season ago, led by Devin Hines (9.8 ppg in 2023-24) and Justin Vander Baan (9.3 ppg & 5.3 rpg in 2023-24).

AGAINST THE LEOPARDS

  • While Friday’s exhibition game won’t count towards either team’s official record, the Nittany Lions and Leopards will meet for the first time since 2022.
  • Penn State owns a 13-4 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 1916.
  • The Nittany Lions won the most recent meeting against the Leopards as Penn State picked up a 70-57 victory on Nov. 25, 2022 inside the Bryce Jordan Center.

WHAT’S RETURNING

Stat

% returning in 2024-25

Points

58.9% (1,459/2,478)

Rebounds

48.3% (514/1,065)

Assists

73.4% (306/417)

Steals

65.1% (179/275)

Minutes

60.7% (4,038/6,650)

NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES

UP NEXT

  • Penn State officially opens the season with a three-game homestand inside the Bryce Jordan Center that begins on Monday, Nov. 4, against Binghamton. Tipoff of the season opener against the Bearcats is set for 7:30 p.m.

The 2024-25 Penn State men’s basketball season is presented by Highmark Health.