Penn State has always been known as a football school, and only a football school. But head coach Patrick Chambers is trying to change that.
One approach he’s taking is to be more visible in hoops hotbeds like Philadelphia, and he may have found another way to put that program on the map in the city of Brotherly Love. According to a PennLive report, Penn State is set to host Michigan State in a game at the famed Palestra.
It follows a pattern for Penn State under Chambers, as they took their game against Michigan to Madison Square Garden last season. As for this game, it appears everything is in place except the league announcement.
For their part, Penn State took a rather neutral stance when asked for comment on the potential game at the Palestra in Philly.
“Penn State, and the rest of the conference schools, have not received a 2016-17 league schedule from the Big Ten and we are not able to confirm any specific game or site at this time.”
Doing this game at the Palestra makes total sense for the PSU basketball program, as it has drawn a lot of the current roster from the Philly area and means playing in front of family and friends. It also means MSU head coach Tom Izzo can check off one of the meccas of basketball from his bucket list too.
Izzo made it be known he wanted to get in a game at the revered arena, having been asked about that during Big Ten media day in 2014:
“They all tell me I’ve got to get to the Palestra. So I’ve got [Villanova coach] Jay (Wright). I’ve got my buddy at Saint Joe’s [Phil Martelli]. One of these years, I’m gonna be dumb enough to do it.”
For fans of college basketball, there are few arenas that hold as much history as the Palestra. It certainly is going to be special to hold a Big Ten game in that fabled building.