The West Virginia men’s basketball team will face Penn State for the first time since 1991 in an exhibition for charity.
WVU will host the Nittany Lions on Nov. 3, at the WVU Coliseum, with a starting time to be named after a time is set for the WVU-Texas football game on the same day.
The proceeds of the WVU-Penn State exhibition will go to American Red Cross’ hurricane relief efforts.
“This is a great event to tip off our basketball season, and we encourage everyone to come out to the WVU Coliseum,” WVU head coach Bob Huggins said in a statement. “But more importantly, we can use the game of basketball to provide relief and to raise as much money as possible in support of the hurricane relief efforts through the American Red Cross.”
The game is a result of an NCAA ruling from May that permits schools to hold an exhibition game against another Division I school with the proceeds of the game going to an approved charity.
WVU hosted Albany last year, when the NCAA first permitted exhibitions for charity and the game raised nearly $30,000.
The ruling in May now opens the door for yearly charity exhibitions providing:
♦ A catastrophic event — as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency — occurs after the previous basketball season’s Final Four.
♦ All proceeds benefit an approved charity and schools must report to the NCAA no longer than 30 days following the game how much money was raised.
♦ The game isn’t held at a potential recruit’s school or gymnasium.
West Virginia and Penn State have not met since both were members of the Atlantic 10 with the Mountaineers holding a 66-53 advantage in the all-time series.
The Nittany Lions finished 26-13 last season and defeated Utah for the NIT championship.
Penn State returns two starters, as well as top reserve Mike Watkins, who averaged 12.1 points per game last season.
WVU and Penn State both canceled exhibitions games against Division II schools in order to play the game for charity.
The Mountaineers canceled a game against Alderson Broaddus and Penn State canceled a game against Nyack College.
The exhibition is part of the season-ticket package. Individual tickets will go on sale at a later date. It will be a regulation 40-minute game.
