PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's basketball program has announced the non-conference portion of its 2021-22 schedule. In the sixth season under John R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men's Basketball Steve Donahue, the Quakers will play four non-conference contests at The Palestra—highlighted by a visit from Big 5 rival Villanova—to go with their seven home Ivy League matchups after the New Year.
 
In addition to its three-game stint at the Myrtle Beach Invitational—which includes a first-round game against 2021 NCAA Tournament participant Utah State—Penn this season will play three other teams that not only made the 2021 NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis but enjoyed immense success there. On top of their home game with Villanova (which advanced to the Sweet 16), the Quakers will make road trips to Arkansas (Elite Eight) and Florida State (Sweet 16).
 
"After not playing at all last year, we are certainly diving back into it this season," said Donahue, who has been Penn's head coach since 2015. "We are facing four NCAA Tournament teams from a year ago, three of which made it to the second weekend. We will host another conference champion in James Madison, and for the first time in history we will play three of our Big 5 games in our rival's gym. Overall, I think these tests will prepare us well when we hit 2022 and get into Ivy League play. I'm excited with the group of guys we have this season, and I can't wait to see how they prepare for this rugged non-conference schedule over the next few months."
 
The Penn Men's Basketball 2021-22 non-conference schedule…
 
at Florida State (Wednesday, Nov. 10)
2020-21: 18-7, 11-4 ACC (2nd), NCAA Sweet Sixteen, 21 NET
  *The Seminoles are one of just two current ACC programs Penn has never played, the other being Virginia Tech
  *Penn is 54-93 all-time against current ACC programs but won the last time it played an ACC team (89-75 over Miami on December 4, 2018 at The Palestra)
  *Penn's last road win over an ACC team came on November 19, 2001, a 79-74 victory at Georgia Tech
 
at George Mason (Friday, Nov. 12)
2020-21: 13-9, 8-6 Atlantic 10 (6th), 135 NET
  *This will be the fifth meeting between the schools since the series started during the 2012-13 season
  *Mason holds a 3-1 lead in the series
  *Penn's lone win came in the 2018-19 season opener, a stirring 72-71 comeback win in Fairfax
 
at Bucknell (Sunday, Nov. 14)
2020-21: 5-7, 4-6 Patriot League (2nd in Central), 225 NET
  *This series began in 1924, but amazingly these regional rivals have only played five times previously
  *Penn leads the series, 4-1, with the most recent wins coming when these two played a home-and-home series in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons
 
LAFAYETTE (Tuesday, Nov. 16)
2020-21: 9-6, 9-5 Patriot League (1st in Central), 213 NET
  *One of Penn's most consistent non-conference matchups, the Quakers and the Leopards have met every year but two since the 1985-86 season
  *Penn leads the series, 43-10, but Lafayette snapped a three-game losing streak with an 86-75 victory two years ago in Easton
  *Just two of Lafayette's 10 wins have come at The Palestra, in 2013 and 2015
  *The game pits Coach Donahue against Fran O'Hanlon; the two were assistant coaches together at Penn during the 1990s
 
at Towson (Tuesday, Nov. 23)
2020-21: 4-14, 3-9 Colonial Athletic Association (9th), 294 NET
  *This will be the fourth meeting all-time between the Quakers and the Tigers
  *The most recent matchup came at the 2017 Gulf Coast Showcase, Towson winning 79-71 in Estero, Fla.
  *Penn won the first two games in this series, taking both ends of a home-and-home series that was played in the 1995-96 and 1996-97 seasons
 
at Arkansas (Sunday, Nov. 28)
2020-21: 25-7, 13-4 SEC (2nd), NCAA Elite Eight, 14 NET
  *This will be the first meeting between the Quakers and the Razorbacks
  *In fact, Penn's trip to Fayetteville will mark the program's first to the state of Arkansas for a game
  *Arkansas advanced to the Elite Eight last year, but lost in that round to the eventual NCAA champion (Baylor)
  *The last time Penn played on an SEC home court, of course, the Quakers won—an 81-80 victory at Alabama to open the 2019-20 season
 
VILLANOVA (Wednesday, Dec. 1)
2020-21: 18-7, 11-4 Big East (1st), NCAA Sweet Sixteen, 11 NET
  *The Wildcats lead the overall series, 48-19, and has won 16 of the last 17 meetings
  *Of course, Penn's only win in that stretch came the last time these teams played at The Palestra (78-75)
  *That win also snapped Villanova's 25-game win streak against Big 5 opponents
  *Villanova advanced to the Sweet Sixteen last year, but lost in that round to the eventual NCAA champion (Baylor)
 
at Temple (Saturday, Dec. 4)
2020-21: 5-11 overall, 4-10 American (9th), 160 NET.
  *The Owls lead the series, 48-21, but Penn has won the last two meetings (77-70 in 2018-19, 66-59 in 2019-20)
  *Prior to those wins, Temple had won 11 in a row and 14 of 15 in this Big 5 rivalry
  *Penn has won at Liacouras two times; in addition to the win three years ago, the other came in 2001
 
at Saint Joseph's (Wednesday, Dec. 8)
2020-21: 5-15 overall, 3-9 Atlantic 10 (13th), 222 NET.
  *Arguably Penn's most even Big 5 rivalry in recent years, the Quakers are 5-5 against the Hawks over the last 10 seasons
  *Penn has played Saint Joseph's 88 times total, more than any other non-Ivy League program (SJU leads the series, 51-37)
  *This game at SJU's Hagan Arena marks the end of an era, as every game in this series since the 1996-97 season has been played in The Palestra
  *Overall, this will be just Penn's third trip to Hagan, the others coming in 1991 and 1995
 
at La Salle (Saturday, Dec. 11)
2020-21: 9-16, 6-11 Atlantic 10 (12th), 209 NET
  *Penn leads this Big 5 series, 42-31, and has won two in a row and four of the last five matchups over the Explorers
  *The Quakers are looking to win three in a row at La Salle's Gola Arena for the first time since they took three straight over a span from 2002-07
 
JAMES MADISON (Tuesday, Dec. 28)
2020-21: 13-7, 8-2 Colonial Athletic Association (t-1st), 140 NET
  *This will be just the second meeting between the Quakers and the Dukes
  *The other meeting took place in November 2011, JMU beating Penn 60-58 at The Palestra as part of the Philly Hoop Group Classic
 
HOWARD (Tuesday, Jan. 4)
2020-21: 1-4, 0-0 MEAC, 312 NET
  *The Quakers and the Bison are meeting for the fourth time overall, with Penn holding a 2-1 lead
  *Interestingly, the road team has won each of the first three meetings in this series
  *Penn is 5-2 all-time against MEAC programs, with a 3-1 mark against Delaware State