Penn State basketball will play at Madison Square Garden in 2023

The Penn State basketball team has made a late addition to their non-conference schedule as we inch closer to the start of the 2023-2024 college basketball season. On December 16th of this year, the Nittany Lions will take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in New York City at Madison Square Garden.

Penn State basketball will play at Madison Square Garden in 2023

This will be Penn State’s first time playing at Madison Square Garden since winning the NIT there in 2018. MSG, possibly the most famous basketball arena of all time, has played host to many big Penn State basketball moments in more recent history including the 2018 NIT title and the Josh Reaves dunk to beat Ohio State for the 3rd time in the season. The Big Ten used to host the Big Ten Tournament there, but since the move to Chicago, it has been rare to see a Big Ten team in the arena. 

This game will keep Penn State’s streak of non-conference ACC matchups going after it was put into jeopardy with the end of the Big Ten vs ACC challenge which saw teams from the conference matchup every year. In a schedule full of mid-major opponents that do not seem to be much of a threat, getting another matchup against a power conference team will be crucial in preparing the team for Big Ten play. 

Georgia Tech is a team a lot like Penn State. They are entering their first season with a new coach, Damon Stoudamire, and they have a robust transfer class coming in. That transfer class is headlined by Amaree Abram and Kowacie Reeves, two younger guys who have been productive at the Power 5 level in the SEC but came to GT for a bigger role. How both teams ended up here though is a bit different. Unlike Penn State, Georgia Tech fired their old coach after a disappointing 15-18 Eason that included a 6-14 record in conference play. Like PSU Georgia Tech is hoping their new coach and transfers can lead to a quick turnaround.

The game is slated to take place at noon on December 16th, and it will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. 

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