This season's Michigan State-Penn State men's basketball game will be played in Philadelphia at the Palestra, one of the "hallowed homes of college basketball," according to sources cited by Brendan Quinn of MLIVE.com. The Palestra, which serves as Penn's home court, "has hosted more games than any other arena in the country." The game "will serve as a step further in Penn State's push to turn Philadelphia into fertile recruiting territory." The venue, which was built in '27, "recently underwent renovations to add a modern scoreboard." An extensive renovation of the gym in '00 "turned the concourse that lines the Palestra into a Hall of Fame, of sorts, recounting the building's history" (MLIVE.com, 7/22). In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tannenwald noted MSU has "never played at the Palestra during Tom Izzo's tenure, and that's a key reason why this game is happening" (PHILLY.com, 7/22). In Pennsylvania, David Jones noted there are "plenty of good reasons for the game from a Penn State standpoint." The school can take its "growing cadre of Philly-based players back home for what will be a showcase game and continue to build the program's brand in the recruiting hotbed." Meanwhile, Izzo "can check off a box on his bucket list" (PENNLIVE.com, 7/22).
