Penn State men’s basketball is heading back to its roots this winter.

The Nittany Lions will be taking the court at Rec Hall once again for its annual “Return to Rec” game, the program announced Saturday. The matchup is slated for 7 p.m. on January 22 against the Wisconsin Badgers.

It marks the third straight season the Nittany Lions will play at Rec Hall under head coach Mike Rhoades. The last time they tipped off was in January, when they faced Ohio State and fell to the Buckeyes 83-64 in front of a White Out crowd.

In 2024, the Nittany Lions faced Illinois and stunned the No. 12 Fighting Illini at Rec Hall by a score of 90-89, which resulted in a storming of the court by the Penn State crowd.

Historically, the Nittany Lions posted a 514-183 record at Rec Hall before moving to the Bryce Jordan Center prior to the 1996 season.

The Nittany Lions called Rec Hall home from 1929-1996. Penn State made its only Final Four appearance during that span, falling to eventual champion La Salle in 1954.

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James Russell

James Russell is a junior digital & print journalism major from Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. He can often be found trying to manage his dynasty fantasy football team or drinking coffee at a disgraceful hour. If you ever want to talk football, his Twitter is @1JamesRussell, or you can reach out to his email [email protected]

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