Boston University (3-3) at Penn State (5-1)

Date & Time: Tuesday, Nov. 25 | 7 p.m.
Venue: Bryce Jordan Center | State College, Pa.
X: @BUGameDay | @TerrierMBB

BOSTON – Continuing the season-high four-game road trip, the Boston University men’s basketball team will visit Penn State Tuesday night with the tip slated for 7 p.m. on both the NBC Sports Network and the Peacock streaming service.

Both programs most recently participated in a doubleheader at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut with the Terriers edging Harvard, 75-74, and the Nittany Lions falling to Providence, 77-65. The contest will mark BU’s second against the Big Ten conference this season following an earlier 76-52 loss at Northwestern, which was preceded by a previous one-point win, a 76-75 overtime victory at Northeastern.

TERRIER TIDBITS


BU will be seeking its first Power 4 win since posting a 78-70 victory at South Carolina for the program’s first-ever SEC win during the 2019-20 campaign. The Terriers last defeated a Big Ten member in 2009 at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with a 71-67 victory over Indiana.
Freshman Chance Gladden led BU in scoring last week by recording 14 points in a 54-49 loss at Columbia and then tallying 20 points with the help of a game-winning layup at five seconds against the Crimson. He became the fourth Terrier to reached 20+ points in a game this season and is currently third on the team averaging 12.3 ppg alongside a team-high 4.0 apg.
Through six contests, sophomore Ben Defty with the help of a double-double at Columbia last Tuesday leads BU in points (13.8 ppg), rebounds (6.7 rpg) and blocks (1.8 bpg) while shooting 66.0 percent from the field.
Both junior Michael McNair (13.0 ppg) and freshman Sam Hughes (11.0 ppg) are also averaging double figures in points by shooting a combined 33-for-71 (.465) in 3-point territory with McNair owning a team-high 12 steals.
Seeking their first back-to-back wins of the season, the Terriers average 70.2 ppg and 46.2 FG% while holding opponents to 74.5 ppg and 48.3 percent

SCOUTING PENN STATE


Following last season’s 16-15 (6-14 Big 10) performance, the 5-1 Nittany Lions opened on a five-game win streak and suffered their first loss of the year against Providence.
PSU held off Harvard, 84-80, at home back on Nov. 19 following victories vs. Navy (80-71) and Fairfield (76-68). The team also won at New Haven (87-43) and against La Salle (83-69). 
Three Nittany Lions are averaging double figures in points with 6-foot-3 guard Kayden Mingo leading the away at 14.5 ppg with 4.0 apg.
Both 6-foot-5 guard Freddie Dilione (14.0 ppg), a Tennessee transfer, and fellow 6-foot-5 guard Melih Tunca (13.8 ppg) are close by in points.
As a team, PSU is averaging 79.2 ppg and 49.0 FG% while holding opponents to 68.0 ppg and 44.3 FG%.

SERIES HISTORY


PSU and BU will meet for the first time in 42 seasons with the Terriers leading the all-time series, 2-1.
After PSU earned a 67-64 home win during the 1955-56 campaign, BU swept the home-and-away series with a 96-88 road win in 1982-83 under future NBA head coach Rick Pitino and 73-67 home win in 1983-84 under future NBA head coach John Kuester.

LOOKING AHEAD


BU will wrap up the road trip by visiting Northern Kentucky on Saturday (Nov. 29) at 1 p.m.
The teams will meet for the first time ever with the Terriers seeking their first victory against the Horizon League since posting a 71-55 win at Youngstown State during the 2024-25 campaign.