Top Five Venues Penn State Basketball Has Played At/Will This Season

When asked about the Big Ten schedule with the expanded conference, Penn State men’s basketball Head Coach Mike Rhoades said, “In all my years this is the craziest schedule. The lack of symmetry with the schedule and different days. It is what it is.”

This got me thinking, with four new teams on the west coast and bunches of non-conference opponents, the Nittany Lions traveled a lot this season, surely they have played at some awesome and historic venues, right?

The answer is yes. There have been multiple arenas and stadiums the team has or will play in this season that would make the die-hard college basketball fan geek out.

Here are the five most historic/best arenas the team will have played in by the time the season ends:

5. CFG Bank Arena (Baltimore, Md)

Opponent: Virginia Tech

Result: Win

On the corner of Baltimore Street and Hopkins Place in downtown Baltimore, the CFG Bank Arena may not carry a lot of college basketball prestige, but its location, professional sport history and its list of concerts cements this arena on the list. It also helps that Ace Baldwin Jr., the best player on Penn State, got to play in his hometown in his final collegiate season.

The venue first opened in 1962 as the Baltimore Civic Center. It was built in the spot of Old Congress Hall, where the founding fathers met with the Continental Congress in 1776.

Another interesting fact about its founding is that when it first opened, President John F. Kennedy put a message inside a vault that was built in one of the corners of the arena.

The vault was opened in 2006. I could not find what the message said, but it is still cool to think a President got involved with the arena.

Since its opening, it has played host to several professional sports teams located in Baltimore. The Baltimore Bullets, now Wizards, of the NBA were the most notable.

The list of artists and bands the arena has featured might be greater than the sports list however. Likes of The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix all played shows here.

4. Rec Hall (University Park, Pa)

Opponent: Ohio State

Result: Loss

A little more local, the team made the seven minute trip down Curtin Road to take on Ohio State. While the result was not what many fans wanted, it was still cool to see the Nittany Lions return to their old home.

Built in 1929, Rec Hall is still active, as it hosts Penn State’s gymnastics, volleyball and wrestling teams. After both basketball teams moved to the Bryce Jordan Center in 1996, they have been returning to the venue to play one game a season consistently since 2024.

“That is a basketball arena. That’s a basketball gym,” Mike Rhoades said in a press conference. “The one thing that’s been neat going around the Big Ten is seeing basketball arenas. Not big convocation centers, basketball arenas. Even when they bring the bleachers in around the court so it gives it a basketball fan experience. That, to me, is Rec Hall, and that just brings a lot of excitement.”

Some of the notable games Penn State has played there include a 74-71 loss to a Jerry West West Virginia team in 1973, the 1991 Atlantic Ten conference championship which was won by the Nittany Lions and a win against No. 12 Illinois in their first return to Rec Hall game.

With all this athletic prestige, Rec Hall has not only become a must-visit for Penn State fans, but for any college sport fanatic.

3. Williams Arena (Minneapolis, MN)

Opponent: Minnesota

Result: N/A

“The Barn” as it is often called, is one of the most historic college basketball arenas in the country. Penn State will play here on Saturday, February 22 when they face the Golden Gophers.

Finished in 1928, the arena has been home to the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers since then. After renovations in 1950, it began to also host the U of M Hockey team until 1993.

The unique feature of this arena is the raised floor. This means that the court is about two above the base of the stadium, which means the teams sit below the court.

This is also true for fans in the first row of seating. Because of this, head coaches and refs are the only non-players allowed on the court during the game.

In its history, the arena has held the 1951 NCAA Division one men’s basketball tournament championship game and many other events related to March Madness. The Hockey side of the building hosted the 1958 and 1966 Frozen Four tournament as well.

2. Pauley Pavilion (Los Angeles, CA)

Opponent: UCLA

Result: N/A

Regarded as one of the finest collegiate facilities in the country, the Nittany Lions will find themselves playing the Bruins here on Saturday, February 8.

The Pavilion was built in 1965 after legendary coach John Wooden felt playing at the Men’s gym wasn’t good enough for the program. Kareem Abdul-Jabaar went to UCLA partly because he was promised to play inside Pauley.

The arena instantly became a huge hit and a place of college basketball eliteness after their first game. They welcomed Ohio State to the newly built venue and beat them 92-66.

The new arena treated the Bruins very well under Wooden. From 1965-75, the team only lost three games inside Pauley. UCLA also added eight National Championships during this time as well.

“That’s always been a place people talk about as a historic place, and [it is] such an honor to go and play there,” Rhoades said. “It’s another thing you can check off your list about a court, cool opportunity for our guys to go all the way to the West Coast.”

1 The Palestra (Philadelphia, Pa)

Opponent: Indiana

Result: Loss

One of the most storied venues in all of college athletics, the Palestra is the coolest place the Nittany Lions found themselves during this year’s campaign.

Opening its doors in 1927, it is the oldest major college arena to still be in use today, as it is normally home to the University of Pennsylvania Quakers.

The aura this arena holds, especially to the college athletic fanatic, is immense. Inside the facility, a plaque reads, “To win the game is great. To play the game is greater. But to love the game is the greatest of all.”

There is a reason it has been dubbed, “the most important building in the history of college basketball.” The fact that Penn State gets to play a game here almost every year is a great privilege and honor to the sport.

Brennan Kirkpatrick is a second-year student majoring in broadcast-journalism. To contact him, please email blk5545@psu.edu.