Bonnies to Face Penn State in Preseason Showcase at KeyBank Center Oct. 17

The St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team will host Penn State Saturday, Oct. 17 in the Greenlight Network Preseason Showcase at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo.

“We’re extremely excited to return to Buffalo and KeyBank Center to host Penn State in the inaugural Greenlight Preseason Showcase,” Vice President and Director of Athletics Bob Beretta said. “One strategy to build on St. Bonaventure’s strong presence in the Buffalo market is by leveraging one of our greatest marketing assets, our men’s basketball program. Hosting a preseason game in Buffalo will help strengthen our brand in that critical market and bring the excitement of Bonnies basketball directly to our dedicated alumni and fans in the area.

The Bonnies and Nittany Lions will be the second game of the scheduled doubleheader as game one will feature Daemen and St. John Fisher. 

The Bonnies are 11-10 all-time against Penn State, but the two schools have not met since the Nittany Lions departed the Atlantic 10 for the Big Ten Conference following the 1990-91 season.

“We are really excited to start off the season at KeyBank Center in Buffalo,” Bonnies head coach Mike MacDonald stated. “We are happy the Western New York fans can get a chance to see the '26-27 Bonnies in this exhibition game against one of the Big Ten's premier programs.

MacDonald heads into his first year with the Bonnies following unprecedented 12-year run at Daemen in which he racked up 265 wins and led the Wildcats to three East Coast Conference (ECC) regular season championships, two ECC tournament championships, six NCAA tournament berths and two NCAA Division II East Regional championships (2026 and 2021).

A familiar face will be on the opposite bench as Penn State is led by former VCU head coach, Mike Rhoades, who is entering his fourth season leading the Nittany Lions after spending six seasons at VCU.

“With the financial challenges currently facing all college athletic programs, we must search for creative opportunities and think outside the box to identify new revenue streams,” Beretta stated. Funds raised from this event will directly support our Institutional NIL program, helping to meet the financial goals we have established for our Athletics Department so that our student-athletes can continue to thrive and attain excellence.”

Tipoff times, ticket information and broadcast information will be announced at a later date.

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