Penn State and Pittsburgh meet for the 150th time on Sunday night in the Palestra, a fitting venue as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET, following a doubleheader opener between Temple and Richmond at 5 p.m. ET.
The Nittany Lions head into the matchup with a 2-0 record, carrying momentum from a narrow home victory over Chattanooga on Thursday. Josh Reed led Penn State with 25 points and five steals, while Ivan Jurić contributed a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. Roko Prkačin has continued to impress in his Penn State debut, averaging 20.5 points per game and shooting 88.9 percent from the field.
Pittsburgh is also unbeaten at 2-0. The rivalry between these two teams goes back decades, with Penn State holding a slim all-time series lead of 76-73. However, Pitt dominated their most recent contest last season, routing Penn State 80-46 at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
The Palestra, located in Philadelphia, offers a neutral setting for this historic clash. Penn State has made it a habit to schedule games there in recent years, hoping to capture some of the venue’s storied atmosphere as a home-away-from-home advantage. The matchup is part of the Palestra’s centennial celebration, adding extra significance to the 150th meeting.
Fans can watch the game live on ESPN2 or stream it through Fubo. Mike Corey will handle play-by-play duties, joined by Tim Walsh on commentary.
Betting odds from BetMGM as of Sunday show Pittsburgh as slight favourites, with the Panthers at -135 on the moneyline and Penn State at +115. The spread sits at Penn State +2.5, and the over/under is 154.5 points.
While Penn State has yet to appear in the 2026-27 preseason USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, several Big Ten teams have cracked the rankings. Illinois leads the conference at No. 3 nationally, joined by Michigan State at No. 6, Michigan at No. 20, Purdue at No. 24, and others receiving votes. Florida begins the season ranked No. 1 overall, followed by Duke at No. 2.
Penn State’s upcoming schedule includes games against Mercyhurst on November 12, New Haven on November 15, and IU Indianapolis on November 18 before heading into the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament with a November 25 game against Memphis.
Sunday’s game offers both teams a chance to make a statement early in the season, reviving one of college basketball’s long-standing rivalries at an iconic venue. The Palestra’s 100th anniversary adds a rare backdrop for this milestone meeting.
Coverage starts at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2 with streaming available on Fubo.
According to Yahoo Sports.
