Penn State

Top TeamState College Heartbreak#7042.5

Big Ten · State College, State College, Pennsylvania

The Heartbreak Index2.5 · #704

The Blessed · Never won it, waiting since 1897

2.5

Heartbreak

#704

of 1,138 clubs

#73

in CBB

2.0

agony · 0.5 despair

The clocks

First CBB title since 18977.5
First CBB final appearance since 18971.4

Heaviest wounds

fell one round short, 1954

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1589-1294

All-time

0.551

Win %

NCAA titles

Final Fours

Tourney apps

#1 seeds

Weeks at #1

All-Americans

Greatest tournament games

Penn State’s top NCAA tournament games of all time by Game Score.

Sort by

Penn State 74-69 #16 UCLA

Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York

1991 · Mar 15, 1991 · First Round

1.75

Game Score

#18 Penn State 80-86 Arkansas

Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island

1996 · Mar 14, 1996 · First Round

1.59

Game Score

Penn State 78-70 #9 LSU

Iowa Field House, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

1954 · Mar 12, 1954 · Second Round

1.49

Game Score

Penn State 71-63 #6 Notre Dame

Iowa Field House, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Elite Eight

1954 · Mar 13, 1954 · Regional Finals

1.48

Game Score

Penn State 82-74 #6 North Carolina

Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

2001 · Mar 18, 2001 · Second Round

1.27

Game Score

Penn State 58-60 Princeton

The Palestra, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1965 · Mar 8, 1965 · First Round

1.15

Game Score

Penn State 68-71 Eastern Michigan (OT)

Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York

1991 · Mar 17, 1991 · Second Round

1.09

Game Score

Penn State 66-71 #5 Texas

Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa

2023 · Mar 18, 2023 · Second Round

0.95

Game Score

Penn State 72-84 Temple

Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia

Sweet 16

2001 · Mar 23, 2001 · Regional Semifinals

0.94

Game Score

Penn State 64-66 Temple

McKale Center, Tucson, Arizona

2011 · Mar 17, 2011 · First Round

0.91

Game Score

#			Round	Match
1	Mar 15, 1991	1991	First Round	Penn State 74-69 #16 UCLA Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York	1.75
2	Mar 14, 1996	1996	First Round	#18 Penn State 80-86 Arkansas Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island	1.59
3	Mar 12, 1954	1954	Second Round	Penn State 78-70 #9 LSU Iowa Field House, Cedar Rapids, Iowa	1.49
4	Mar 13, 1954	1954	Regional Finals	Penn State 71-63 #6 Notre Dame Iowa Field House, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Elite Eight	1.48
5	Mar 18, 2001	2001	Second Round	Penn State 82-74 #6 North Carolina Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana	1.27
6	Mar 8, 1965	1965	First Round	Penn State 58-60 Princeton The Palestra, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	1.15
7	Mar 17, 1991	1991	Second Round	Penn State 68-71 Eastern Michigan (OT) Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York	1.09
8	Mar 18, 2023	2023	Second Round	Penn State 66-71 #5 Texas Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, Iowa	0.95
9	Mar 23, 2001	2001	Regional Semifinals	Penn State 72-84 Temple Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia Sweet 16	0.94
10	Mar 17, 2011	2011	First Round	Penn State 64-66 Temple McKale Center, Tucson, Arizona	0.91

Season by season

2027 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

0-0

Conf record

—

SRS

—

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2026 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

12-20

Conf record

3-17

—

SRS

#114

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2025 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

16-15

Conf record

6-14

—

SRS

#52

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2024 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

16-17

Conf record

9-11

—

SRS

#74

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2023 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

23-14

Conf record

10-10

—

SRS

#40

Seed

Tournament

NCAA tournament

2022 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

14-17

Conf record

7-13

—

SRS

#76

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2021 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

11-14

Conf record

7-12

—

SRS

#38

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2020 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

21-10

Conf record

11-9

—

SRS

#24

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2019 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

14-18

Conf record

7-13

—

SRS

#44

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2018 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

26-13

Conf record

9-9

—

SRS

#25

Seed

—

Tournament

NIT

2017 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

15-18

Conf record

6-12

—

SRS

#75

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2016 · Penn State

Big Ten

Record

16-16

Conf record

7-11

—

SRS

#119

Seed

—

Tournament

—

Year	School	Record	Conference	Conf	AP	SRS	Seed	Tournament
2027	Penn State	0-0	Big Ten
2026	Penn State	12-20	Big Ten	3-17		#114
2025	Penn State	16-15	Big Ten	6-14		#52
2024	Penn State	16-17	Big Ten	9-11		#74
2023	Penn State	23-14	Big Ten	10-10		#40	10	NCAA tournament
2022	Penn State	14-17	Big Ten	7-13		#76
2021	Penn State	11-14	Big Ten	7-12		#38
2020	Penn State	21-10	Big Ten	11-9		#24
2019	Penn State	14-18	Big Ten	7-13		#44
2018	Penn State	26-13	Big Ten	9-9		#25		NIT
2017	Penn State	15-18	Big Ten	6-12		#75
2016	Penn State	16-16	Big Ten	7-11		#119
2015	Penn State	18-16	Big Ten	4-14		#73
2014	Penn State	16-18	Big Ten	6-12		#75
2013	Penn State	10-21	Big Ten	2-16		#124
2012	Penn State	12-20	Big Ten	4-14		#115
2011	Penn State	19-15	Big Ten	9-9		#44	10	NCAA tournament
2010	Penn State	11-20	Big Ten	3-15		#88
2009	Penn State	27-11	Big Ten	10-8		#56		NIT
2008	Penn State	15-16	Big Ten	7-11		#103
2007	Penn State	11-19	Big Ten	2-14		#115
2006	Penn State	15-15	Big Ten	6-10		#107		NIT
2005	Penn State	7-23	Big Ten	1-15		#171
2004	Penn State	9-19	Big Ten	3-13		#188
2003	Penn State	7-21	Big Ten	2-14		#180
2002	Penn State	7-21	Big Ten	3-13		#172
2001	Penn State	21-12	Big Ten	7-9		#43	7	Sweet 16
2000	Penn State	19-16	Big Ten	5-11		#48		NIT
1999	Penn State	13-14	Big Ten	5-11		#46
1998	Penn State	19-13	Big Ten	8-8		#45		NIT
1997	Penn State	10-17	Big Ten	3-15		#103
1996	Penn State	21-7	Big Ten	12-6	#18	#17	5	NCAA tournament
1995	Penn State	21-11	Big Ten	9-9		#49		NIT
1994	Penn State	13-14	Big Ten	6-12		#72
1993	Penn State	7-20	Big Ten	2-16		#129
1992	Penn State	21-8	Independent			#85		NIT
1991	Penn State	21-11	Atlantic 10 ◆	10-8		#55	13	NCAA tournament
1990	Penn State	25-9	Atlantic 10	13-5		#79		NIT
1989	Penn State	20-12	Atlantic 10	12-6		#90		NIT
1988	Penn State	13-14	Atlantic 10	9-9		#126
1987	Penn State	15-12	Atlantic 10	9-9		#102
1986	Penn State	12-17	Atlantic 10	5-13		#196
1985	Penn State	8-19	Atlantic 10	4-14		#214
1984	Penn State	5-22	Atlantic 10	3-15		#212
1983	Penn State	17-11	Atlantic 10	9-5		#113
1982	Penn State	15-12	Independent			#125
1981	Penn State	17-10	Independent			#106
1980	Penn State	18-10	Independent			#98		NIT
1979	Penn State	12-18	Eastern 8	4-6		#149
1978	Penn State	8-19	Eastern Collegiate	4-6		#174
1977	Penn State	11-15	Eastern Collegiate ★	5-5		#149
1976	Penn State	10-15	Independent			#139
1975	Penn State	11-12	Independent			#138
1974	Penn State	14-12	Independent			#94
1973	Penn State	15-8	Independent			#98
1972	Penn State	17-8	Independent			#59
1971	Penn State	10-12	Independent			#102
1970	Penn State	13-11	Independent			#149
1969	Penn State	13-9	Independent			#120
1968	Penn State	10-10	Independent			#142
1967	Penn State	10-14	Independent			#119
1966	Penn State	18-6	Independent			#73		NIT
1965	Penn State	20-4	Independent			#44		NCAA tournament
1964	Penn State	16-7	Independent			#55
1963	Penn State	15-5	Independent			#101
1962	Penn State	12-11	Independent			#120
1961	Penn State	11-13	Independent			#108
1960	Penn State	11-11	Independent			#106
1959	Penn State	11-9	Independent			#91
1958	Penn State	8-11	Independent			#129
1957	Penn State	15-10	Independent			#89
1956	Penn State	12-14	Independent			#140
1955	Penn State	18-10	Independent			#48		Sweet 16
1954	Penn State	18-6	Independent		#9	#41		Final Four
1953	Penn State	15-9	Independent			#73
1952	Penn State	20-6	Independent			#31		NCAA tournament
1951	Penn State	14-9	Independent			#61
1950	Penn State	13-10	Independent			#70
1949	Penn State	7-10	Independent
1948	Penn State	9-10	Independent
1947	Penn State	10-8	Independent
1946	Penn State	7-9	Independent
1945	Penn State	10-7	Independent
1944	Penn State	8-7	Independent
1943	Penn State	15-4	Independent
1942	Penn State	18-3	Independent					NCAA tournament
1941	Penn State	15-5	Independent
1940	Penn State	15-8	Independent
1939	Penn State	13-10	EIC	5-5
1938	Penn State	13-5	EIC	6-4
1937	Penn State	10-7	EIC	6-4
1936	Penn State	6-11	EIC	0-10
1935	Penn State	8-9	Independent
1934	Penn State	8-4	Independent
1933	Penn State	7-4	Independent
1932	Penn State	6-9	Independent
1931	Penn State	3-12	Independent
1930	Penn State	5-9	Independent
1929	Penn State	10-9	Independent
1928	Penn State	10-5	Independent
1927	Penn State	14-4	Independent
1926	Penn State	7-7	Independent
1925	Penn State	12-2	Independent
1924	Penn State	13-2	Independent
1923	Penn State	13-1	Independent
1922	Penn State	9-5	Independent
1921	Penn State	14-2	Independent
1920	Penn State	12-1	Independent
1919	Penn State	11-2	Independent
1918	Penn State	12-1	Independent
1917	Penn State	12-2	Independent
1916	Penn State	8-3	Independent
1915	Penn State	10-3	Independent
1914	Penn State	8-4	Independent
1913	Penn State	8-3	Independent
1912	Penn State	8-5	Independent
1911	Penn State	9-4	Independent
1910	Penn State	8-6	Independent
1909	Penn State	7-6	Independent
1908	Penn State	10-4	Independent
1907	Penn State	5-6	Independent
1906	Penn State	6-4	Independent
1905	Penn State	6-2	Independent
1904	Penn State	5-4	Independent
1903	Penn State	3-5	Independent
1902	Penn State	9-2	Independent
1901	Penn State	5-1	Independent
1900	Penn State	7-1	Independent
1899	Penn State	2-3	Independent
1898	Penn State	2-1	Independent
1897	Penn State	1-1	Independent

Consensus All-Americans

1 AP All-American selections.

Jalen Pickett2023

Year	Player
2023	Jalen Pickett

NBA first-round picks

1 first-round NBA draft selections from this program.

Yanic Konan Niederhäuser2025

Last college yr: 2025

Draft	Player	Last college yr
2025	Yanic Konan Niederhäuser	2025

The Heartbreak Index2.5 · #704▸

YouTube

Greatest tournament games

Season by season

Consensus All-Americans

NBA first-round picks

The Heartbreak Index2.5 · #704