Pittsburgh and Penn State have signed a deal to renew their in-state rivalry on the hardwood with a Sunday, Dec. 21 matchup at the Giant Center in Hershey.

“Pitt and Penn State is a natural rivalry that makes a great deal of sense to play in the current collegiate landscape,” Pitt coach Jeff Capel said. “The trip to Hershey in December will give Pitt fans across the state an opportunity to see the team in action and will be a great way to tipoff the holiday season.”

Pitt and Penn State will meet for the 149th time in program history.

It will be the first meeting between the two teams since 2017, an 85-54 win for the Nittany Lions at the Legends Classic in Brooklyn.

The Nittany Lions own a 76-72 advantage in the all-time series that dates back to 1906.

Details surrounding ticket information, tipoff time and television broadcast designation will all be announced at a later date.

The Giant Center, located 100 miles southeast of Penn State’s campus, hosts an impressive lineup of star-studded performances, including concerts, comedy shows, professional ice shows and family events. It also serves as the home to the Hershey Bears Hockey Club and various PIAA high school state championship events.

Penn State will enter its third season under coach Mike Rhoades in 2025-26. Rhoades welcomes back a core group of returnees and the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history for the 2025-26 season.

Rhoades orchestrated the highest-scoring offense in Penn State history in 2024-25 as the Nittany Lions set a single-season program record with 79.1 points per game during his second season at the helm.