Why is Penn State basketball playing a road game at small-school New Haven?

Why Is Penn State Basketball Playing at Small-School New Haven?

Mike Rhoades' Penn State team faces the Chargers on Saturday at 1 p.m. This matchup is unusual since Big Ten teams rarely play road games against Northeast Conference schools.

Uncommon Road Game at Hazell Center

The Nittany Lions travel to the Hazell Center in West Haven, Connecticut, which holds only about 1,000 fans. By comparison, Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center can accommodate over 15,000 spectators.

Reason Behind the Scheduling

Coach Mike Rhoades explained the rationale: New Haven agreed to play multiple future nonconference games in Happy Valley as part of the deal.

“Some people told me I’m crazy to do it. You gottta put yourself out there. Ted (Hotaling) runs a great program up there. He’s a very good coach, and they made a transition to Division I. They were looking for home games with an opportunity to get them to return the game multiple times.”

Financial and Program Benefits

This arrangement is a cost-saving strategy, allowing Penn State to secure several nonconference games for the price of one. Usually, power conference teams pay smaller schools a significant fee to schedule games on the road.

“I’m not just a coach, but I oversee the program, and part of overseeing that program is overseeing the budget, too. If there are opportunities, even in scheduling, where we could save money, make money, go out there and have opportunities for our guys and for our program — you’ve gotta look at it.”

This strategic scheduling benefits the team financially while providing valuable opportunities for players and the program.

Author's summary: Penn State's road game at New Haven is a savvy move to save costs and establish multiple future matchups with a rising Division I program.

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PennLive.com PennLive.com — 2025-11-09

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