SPORTS

Report: Michigan State basketball to play Penn State in Philadelphia

James Jahnke
Detroit Free Press
Penn students throw streamers on the court before a game against St. Joseph's at the Palestra in Philadelphia on Jan. 20, 2016.

Michigan State has played basketball in a lot of unique venues. It actually has gained some fame for that very reason. And it sounds like it will add another one to the list this season.

The Palestra.

The Spartans will play Penn State at the famed gym in Philadelphia, according to MLive, which cited unidentified sources. The Jan. 7 contest will be a home game for the home-state Nittany Lions.

MSU coach Tom Izzo told the Free Press in 2014 that playing at the Palestra was on his bucket list.

"They all tell me I've got to get to the Palestra," Izzo said then. "So I've got (Villanova coach) Jay (Wright), I've got my buddy at St. Joe's (Phil Martelli). One of these years, I'm gonna be dumb enough to do it."

The Palestra is the home court for Penn and also famously hosted Big 5 games between Philadelphia's Division I teams -- Penn, St. Joseph's, La Salle, Temple and Villanova -- for decades. It seats just shy of 9,000 people.

Couch: MSU's road-heavy basketball schedule imperfect, but worth it