Penn State's NCAA Tournament History: a Recap
Though the moment stung, Penn State still held a brief watch party Sunday night in Chicago, where the program saw its name on an NCAA Tournament bracket for the first time in 12 years. Coach Micah Shrewsberry didn't want to the moment to pass without acknowledging its importance.
"This is a really unique position for us, where we're going to watch the NCAA Tournament selection show and we're going to hear our name called," Shrewsberry said after the Lions fell to Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament title game. "At the beginning of the year, probably nobody, other than me and those guys in our locker room an on our staff, was staying this was going to happen. So I'm proud of our team for what they've done all year."
Penn State on Thursday will play in its first NCAA Tournament since 2011, meeting Texas A&M in a Midwest Region first-round game in Des Moines, Iowa. The Lions will end the Big Ten's longest tournament drought, which is a little misleading because it skips over the 2019-20 season.
Penn State was 21-10 that season, ranked as high as ninth in the AP Top 25 and poised to make its 10th NCAA Tournament appearance when everything was canceled. So that 10th tournament had to wait three years.
Penn State's NCAA Tournament history is limited; 2023 marks the team's fifth appearance since 1965. But the Lions have had some memorable moments, including a Final Four, in those tournaments.
Here's a look at Penn State's history at the NCAA Tournament.
How many times has Penn State made the NCAA Tournament?
The 2022-23 season marks Penn State's 10th NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2011. The Lions made their first appearance in 1942, went to three tournaments with All-American Jesse Arnelle in 1952, '54, and '55 and then returned in 1965.
Since then, Penn State has qualified in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2011 and 2023.
When did Penn State make the Final Four?
The Lions won three games in 1954 to reach their first and only Final Four. Penn State defeated Toledo, LSU and Notre Dame before falling to La Salle in the national semifinals. The team then won the third-place game 70-61 over USC.
Arnelle was named MVP of the East Region and made the all-Final Four team.
What is Penn State's NCAA Tournament record?
The Lions are 9-11 in tournament games, last winning in 2001. They're 2-3 in their last five NCAA games.
When did Penn State make the Sweet 16?
In 2001, the seventh-seeded Lions defeated Providence and upset second-seeded North Carolina in New Orleans to reach the program's only Sweet 16 since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Penn State fell to 11th-seeded Temple in the regional semifinals in Atlanta.
What is Penn State's record as a 10 seed?
Penn State is 0-1 as a 10 seed. The Lions were seeded 10th in their last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2011. They lost to Temple 66-64 in the first round. Penn State is 4-5 overall in first-round games.
What is Penn State's highest tournament seed?
The 1996 Lions earned a No. 5 seed after going 21-7 during the regular season and tying for second in the Big Ten for first-year coach Jerry Dunn. But Penn State ran into a tough draw against No. 12 Arkansas, which had won the national championships two years earlier. Arkansas defeated Penn State 86-80 en route to the regional final.
Has anyone on Penn State's roster played in an NCAA Tournament?
Two Lions are making their second tournament appearances. Camren Wynter went with Drexel in 2021, when he was named the Most Outstanding Player of the CAA Tournament. Wynter scored 6 points in the Dragons' loss to top-seeded Illinois. And back in 2017, Michael Henn played nine minutes for UC Davis in its first-round loss to No. 1 seed Kansas.
What is Micah Shrewsberry's coaching history in the NCAA Tournament?
Shrewsberry, of course, is making his first NCAA Tournament as a head coach but has plenty of experience in the event. He coached in six NCAA Tournaments at Purdue and Butler, including a pair of trips to the national-championship game with Butler in 2010 and 2011.
What is Penn State's NCAA Tournament scoring record?
Jesse Arnelle twice scored 25 points in tournament games against USC (1954) and Kentucky (1955). Arnelle, who played in three tournaments, is Penn State's leading NCAA scorer with 202 points.
For much more on Penn State's run to the 2023 NCAA Tournament, check out the coverage at AllPennState and visit SI.com's dedicated Penn State basketball page.
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.
