How to Watch Penn State vs. Pitt Basketball: Tipoff Time, TV Channel, Preview

Penn State men’s basketball coach Mike Rhoades winced at the outcome the last time the Nittany Lions played Pitt. Penn State endured an 80-46 shellacking to the Panthers in Hershey last season, a game that Rhoades called “discouraging and embarrassing.”

Rhoades and Penn State are set to get another shot at Pitt on Sunday night at the Palestra in Philadelphia, the 150th meeting between the teams. It’ll also be part of the venue’s 100th anniversary celebration.

Even though the Nittany Lions have a revamped roster with 11 new players, they’re aware of last year’s loss to the Panthers.

“We understand what happened in the Pitt game last year, so we're going to be focused on Sunday night, and it's fixable stuff to get ready for Sunday night,” said Penn State guard Thomas Allard, who transferred from Alabama-Huntsville. “We'll be prepared. We'll have a good two days of prep and then be ready for Sunday night.”

Penn State showed similar signs of what caused the Pitt loss during its 97-93 win over Chattanooga. The Nittany Lions allowed 62 points in the second half, a concerning number heading into their first test against a power-conference opponent.

It remains to be seen whether Penn State makes corrections in time. But until then, here’s everything you need to know about the Penn State-Pitt game.

How to watch Penn State-Pitt

The Palestra in Philadelphia will host the neutral-site matchup between Penn State and Pitt, with tipoff set for 8 p.m. ET. ESPN2 will televise the game with Mike Corey and Tim Welsh on the call.

Fans can also listen to Steve Jones and Dick Jerardi on the Penn State Sports Network.

Who is projected to win the Penn State-Pitt game?

Penn State basketball takes on Pitt basketball inside the Giant Center in Hershey, Pa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Pitt holds a slight edge in the projections for Sunday’s game. The Panthers are 2.5-point favorites. according to DraftKings, which set the over/under at 154.5. KenPom rankings expects a 78-75 Panthers victory, ranking Pitt 63rd in the country on the site’s ratings. Meanwhile, Penn State sits at 93rd and has a 37-percent chance to beat Pitt, according to KenPom.

Penn State vs. Pitt series history

Pitt scored a decisive 34-point victory in the 149th meeting between the teams, but Penn State still holds a 76-73 all-time advantage in the series. They first met in 1906, though the matchup has been more scattered in recent seasons.

Last year’s game was the first since 2017, when Penn State earned an 85-54 victory. Rhoades said last year that he wants to keep the game on the schedule and stayed true to his word even after the blowout loss.

“Regional matchups, old-school traditions and rivalry matchups — we should always play them, in my opinion,” Rhoades said before last season’s Pitt game. “Especially in basketball, when you play 31 games. We should have those.”

About the Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Nittany Lions forward Josh Reed (10) drives the ball to the basket against the Chattanooga Mocs. — Penn State Nittany Lions forward Josh Reed (10) drives the ball to the basket against the Chattanooga Mocs at Bryce Jordan Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State (2-0) started the season with a commanding 97-57 win over Canisius, with forward Roko Prkačin making headlines after scoring 28 points on 12-for-14 shooting. The Nittany Lions kept that pace in the first half against Chattanooga, playing quality defense in the final nine minutes for a 54-31 lead.

But the defense broke down in the second half. The Mocs, led by head coach Dan Earl, became more aggressive and cut the lead to as little as three points. Penn State survived, but if it plays as it did in the second half again, expect another blowout loss to Pitt.

The Nittany Lions didn’t respond well to Earl’s adjustments, and Chattanooga scored 42 points in the paint despite having a size disadvantage.

“I think they made some adjustments to go on us quicker, attack certain matchups, put us in space, and I didn't think we guarded the ball well today,” Rhoades said. “We got to guard the ball at a high level, and we got to help.”

How Rhoades responds to what Pitt coach Jeff Capel does will be key after the near-disaster against Chattanooga. That said, forward Josh Reed saved Penn State and should continue to provide his stable veteran presence.

Reed scored 25 points with five rebounds and five steals against the Mocs. Center Ivan Jurić has two double-doubles in two games, so he should make more of an impact after getting in foul trouble early last year vs. Pitt.

About the Pitt Panthers

Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Jeff Capel III reacts in the second half at Spectrum Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unlike Penn State, the Panthers (2-0) had a slow start against Buffalo on Thursday, falling behind 45-32 at halftime. However, Pitt rallied for an 80-61 win.

Outscoring Buffalo 48-16 in the second half presumably gave Pitt momentum heading into the weekend. On the other hand, Penn State’s postgame locker room felt like the team lost after its unproductive second half against Chattanooga, Rhoades said.

Pitt power forward Chase Foster (6-9, 230 pounds) is having a breakout season so far. The freshman is averaging 21.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, two steals and two blocks per game. Reed and Prkačin need to bring their defensive A game to contain Foster.

Penn State’s perimeter defense also needs to show up after allowing Chattanooga shooters to get open in the second half, when the Mocs knocked down 50 percent of their 3-point shots. Pitt is shooting 3-pointers at a 38.8 percent clip this season.

Jurić (7-0, 250 pounds) gives the Nittany Lions a size advantage inside over Pitt center Baye Ndongo (6-9, 238 pounds), but Ndongo is productive. He just had 23 points and 21 rebounds against Buffalo. This game will truly serve as an early-season litmus test for Penn State.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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