Penn State Nittany Lions basketball


The Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team representing the Pennsylvania State University. They are a member of the Big Ten Conference and play home games at the 15,261-seat Bryce Jordan Center, moving there from Rec Hall during the 1995–96 season. Their student cheering section is known as the Legion Of Blue.
The program has nine NCAA tournament appearances with its best finish coming in 1954, reaching the Final Four. Its most recent appearance was in 2011, when the team lost to the Temple Owls in the round of 64. The program also has 11 appearances in the National Invitation Tournament, with the most recent being in 2018, when they beat Utah to win the NIT championship. They also won the NIT championship in 2009.

Current coaching staff

Coaching history

Postseason

NCAA tournament results

The Nittany Lions have appeared in the NCAA Tournament nine times. Their combined record is 9–11.

NIT results

The Nittany Lions have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament 11 times. Their combined record is 27–9. They were NIT champions in 2009 and 2018.
1966First RoundSan FranciscoL 77–89
1980First RoundAlabamaL 49–53
1989First Round
Second Round		Murray State
Villanova		W 89–73
L 67–76
1990First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		Marquette
Maryland
Rutgers
Vanderbilt
New Mexico		W 57–54
W 80–78
W 58–55
L 62–75
W 83–81
1992First RoundPittsburghL 65–67
1995First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		Miami
Nebraska
Iowa
Marquette
Canisius		W 62–56
W 65–59
W 67–64
L 79–81
W 66–62
1998First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		Rider
Dayton
Georgia Tech
Georgia
Minnesota		W 82–68
W 77–74
W 77–70
W 66–60
L 72–79
2000First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
3rd Place Game		Princeton
Siena
Kent State
Notre Dame
NC State		W 55–41
W 105–103
W 81–74
L 52–73
W 74–72
2006Opening RoundRutgersL 71–76
2009First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		George Mason
Rhode Island
Florida
Notre Dame
Baylor		W 77–73 OT
W 83–72
W 71–62
W 67–59
W 69–63
2018First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Finals		Temple
Notre Dame
Marquette
Mississippi State
Utah		W 63–57
W 73–63
W 85–80
W 75–60
W 82–66

CBI results

The Nittany Lions have appeared in the College Basketball Invitational once. Their record is 1–1.
2014First Round
Quarterfinals		Hampton
Siena		W 69–65
L 52–54

Statistical Leaders

Points

+ 2020 B1G Tournament and 2020 NCAA Tournament cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic.

Assists

Rebounds

NBA players

NBA Draft

Other Players

The following is a list of undrafted Penn State players who have played at least one NBA regular or post-season game.

Overcoming Historical Irrelevance

At a school where the football program captures the vast majority of media and fan interest, the basketball program has historically struggled to draw fans and administrative support. Penn State is consistently ranked near the bottom of the Big Ten in attendance and revenue, which has been attributed to local apathy and noncompetitive teams. The Bryce Jordan Center has far more seats than can regularly be filled, and large, black curtains cover parts of the upper deck during most non-conference and weekday games.
Penn State has come close to breaking through on several occasions in the 21st century, only to fall back to mediocrity. They reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in over 50 years in 2001 after upsetting #2 North Carolina in the Round of 32, only to fall to a 3-13 record in the Big Ten the next year. The 2008-09 and 2017-18 teams won the NIT, but did not reach the tournament the next year.
Penn State hoops reached new levels of popularity during the 2019-20 season after fielding a team that peaked at #9 in the Associated Press poll. The team hosted its first sellout since 2011 in a February showdown against Minnesota, a contest they would win 83-77, extending a mid-season win streak that would eventually reach eight games. Students rallied around the idea of Penn State as a "basketball school," and players such as seniors Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins became household names across campus, even among non-basketball fans. In what was referred to as "the most Penn State basketball thing ever" by fans on social media, the season was cancelled prior to the start of the Big Ten Tournament due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Stevens finished only seven points from becoming Penn State's all-time leading scorer, a feat that would almost certainly have been reached had the season not been cut short. Though a NCAA Tournament bracket was never officially revealed, head coach Pat Chambers announced that the 2019-20 team would be included on the team banner of tournament appearances.

Penn State Men's Basketball Radio Affiliates