Penn State men’s basketball is set to face off against Memphis in the first round of the 2026 Battle 4 Atlantis on November 25, the tournament announced on Monday.

The Tigers hold a 3-2 record advantage over Penn State.

The Nittany Lions are fresh off a 12-20 season in 2025, but will feature almost an entirely new squad this season. Penn State ended the year 3-17 in conference play and No. 139 in the KenPom rankings.

Memphis also had a down year for the program’s standards, finishing 13-19 overall and 8-10 in the American. That was good enough for No. 133 in the KenPom rankings.

While the Tigers could prove to be a difficult test for the Nittany Lions, Penn State avoided the likes of Virginia, Texas A&M, and Marquette.

It also means Penn State will only face two power conference team before Big Ten play.

About the Author

Collin Ward

Collin is a fourth-year majoring in digital/print journalism. He lives in Basking Ridge, New Jersey and enjoys TAYLOR HAM, egg, and cheese. As a New York Giants and Chelsea FC fan you can normally find him yelling at his TV screen on the weekends. Please follow him on X(formerly Twitter) @wardcollinz for Penn State football stuff. You can email him at [email protected].

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