Penn State Basketball takes a 2-0 record to Philadelphia on Sunday night, where it will meet Pittsburgh at 8 p.m. inside the Palestra in the 150th all-time meeting between the rivals. The game will air nationally on ESPN2 and gives Penn State its first road game of the 2026-27 season.
The Nittany Lions have won the first two games by scoring 97 points in each, a fast start that has pushed them to a 76-73 advantage in the series. They also enter with a 2-0 record for the fifth consecutive season after beating Chattanooga 97-93 on Thursday evening.
That result was tighter than it looked for most of the night. Penn State built a 54-31 halftime lead, its highest-scoring first half since the 2024-25 season opener, before Chattanooga put 62 points on the board in the second half and made the finish uncomfortable. Josh Reed tied his career high with 25 points, made a career-best 15 of 16 free throws and added five steals, while Ivan Jurić finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double.
The numbers behind the 2-0 start are hard to miss. Penn State has scored 194 points through two games, is averaging 97.0 points per contest and has made 64 of 78 free throws while shooting 82.1 percent at the line. It also has 34 assists on 60 made baskets and is shooting 50.8 percent from the field, after opening with a 97-57 win over Canisius in which it shot 55.4 percent and had 20 assists on 36 made baskets.
The Palestra is part of the reason this game carries extra weight. Penn State played its first game there on Jan. 27, 1927, has played 64 previous games in the building and owns a 25-39 all-time record at the venue, including a 15-11 mark against opponents other than Penn. Sunday’s matchup also comes during the Palestra's 100th anniversary celebration, which places one of college basketball's oldest rivalries inside one of its most storied buildings.
There is still a real test inside the history. Penn State has been good enough to build a 76-73 series edge, but Chattanooga showed Thursday that a big lead and a hot start do not guarantee a clean finish. Whether that early scoring pace travels with Penn State into the Palestra will be the part of Sunday night worth watching.
