Penn State basketball learns slate for 2024 Sunshine Slam

Penn State basketball is gearing up for year two under head coach Mike Rhoades. After an up-and-down first season, Rhoades hopes that the Nittany Lions will continue to move forward in 2024-25. This week, we learned more about Penn State’s non-conference schedule as the Nittany Lions’ matchups for November’s Sunshine Slam were announced.

The Nittany Lions will head south to Daytona Beach, Florida, early in the year to participate in the Thanksgiving week tournament. The Sunshine Slam will feature two matchups in Daytona Beach following a first-round matchup at the Bryce Jordan Center.

Penn State basketball to play Purdue Fort Wayne and Fordham, will face Clemson or San Francisco in Sunshine Slam

Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State falls into the Beach Bracket along with Fordham, Clemson, and San Francisco. Mike Rhoades and the Nittany Lions will start with a cross-over game from the Ocean Bracket, hosting Purdue Fort Wayne in the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday, November 20.

On November 25, Penn State opens play at the Ocean Center in Dayton Beach by taking on Fordham at 4:00 p.m. ET. The Rams are fresh off a 13-20 record in 2023-24 and were eliminated in the second round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament.

Penn State and Fordham are meeting for the first time since 2014, when the Nittany Lions won 73-54 at the Bryce Jordan Center. First playing in 1907, Penn State leads the all-time series 3-2.

The Nittany Lions will then face either Clemson or San Francisco on November 26, pending the result of the first round. The third-place game will occur at 1:30 p.m. ET, with the championship after at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Both potential opponents made the postseason in 2024. Clemson reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, while San Francisco qualified for the NIT.

In addition to the Sunshine Slam, Mike Rhoades and Penn State basketball will face Virginia Tech in the Hall of Fame Series in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 15. The rest of the Nittany Lions’ non-conference schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

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