Penn hoops to open season against Temple?

While Penn is yet to announce any of its 2011-12 men's basketball schedule, a few early dates have leaked in from the Quakers' competitors, and now it appears a season opener at home is has been set.

Temple released its non-conference schedule, leading off with a Nov. 14 tilt with Penn at the Palestra, the earliest these two teams have every played according to Temple's website. After traveling to the Liacouras center last year, Penn hosts the Owls and former Quakers head man Fran Dunphy this season.

This is a great move by those involved with the scheduling (I seem to remember the coach of one team playing for the coach of the other...). A Big 5 matchup against a Top-25 team from a year ago spells for a great night at the Palestra, which should draw a crowd. Temple won the last matchup, 73-56, on Jan. 19, and has won every year since Dunphy's first season across the Schuylkill in 2006-07. The only issue with the date is it falls on a Monday -- not the biggest draw for students.

The other schedule tidbits which have trickled in so far are a Thanksgiving tournament hosted at the Palestra by the Philly Hoop Group (featuring former Penn player Andy Toole as head coach at Robert Morris), and a reading-days trip to sunny southern California to play UCLA.