The Palestra will play host to 11 games this season for Penn men's basketball, including three of the team's four Big 5 games.
Credit: Chase SuttonPenn men's basketball fans now know the dates and opponents their team will face at the Palestra this season, as the team announced its home schedule earlier Wednesday on Twitter.
In addition to the usual seven Ivy League games played at home, the team will also host three of its four Big 5 games after capturing the series title last year for the first time since the 2001-02 season.
The Quakers host only two games before January, kicking off their home slate against local rival La Salle on Nov. 13 and welcoming Division-III foe Widener on Dec. 21. Although the Red and Blue have not faced the Pride in 84 years, the Chester, Pa. team was the Penn's first opponent in the Palestra back on Dec. 30, 1926.
Penn then has a few days to recover after New Year's Day before Ancient Eight challenger Princeton comes to University City on Jan. 4.
Rounding out the team's non-conference home schedule are games against Saint Joseph's and Temple on Jan. 18 and 25, respectively, with the latter also taking place over Alumni Weekend.
The Ivy season begins in full force following the end of Big 5 play, with Penn's home weekends happening over Jan. 31-Feb. 1, Feb. 14-15, and Mar. 6-7. If this year's Ivy League was any indication, the Red and Blue's final pair of games — against Cornell and Columbia — might play a role in determining which teams find their way to Harvard for Ivy Madness the following weekend.
Every League game will be crucial if the Quakers want to improve on their tie for fourth place in last year's regular season, especially the ones in front of their own fans.
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