Athletics

Penn State men's basketball earns No. 23 AP ranking

Nittany Lions last ranked in an AP regular-season poll in 1996

Penn State is 9-2 in 2019-20 and earned its first regular-season ranking in the Associated Press poll since 1996. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State men’s basketball team earned its first Associated Press poll ranking since 1996, entering this week’s poll at No. 23. The Nittany Lions are off to their best start at 9-2 since the 2014-15 season and have received votes from the media since Nov. 18.

Penn State was ranked for 10 weeks during the 1995-96 season, entering the poll at the No. 20 spot on Jan. 8, 1996. The earliest Penn State has ever been ranked was on Dec. 6, 1954, when the Nittany Lions were ranked 19th in the first Associated Press poll of the 1954-55 season.

After a week away from competition for finals, Penn State plays host to Central Connecticut State at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20, in the Bryce Jordan Center.

For more information about single-game tickets or the mobile flex plan for men's basketball, visit the online ticket information page or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Keep up to date with the latest information from the Nittany Lions on Twitter by following @PennStateMBB, and on Facebook and Instagram at @PennStateMBB.

Last Updated December 17, 2019