Penn State started its 2026 half of the season with three consecutive ranked opponents, and was unable to claim any victories despite hard-fought battles.
Eight points decided the games against then-No. 20 Illinois and No. 5 Purdue, while the No. 2 Michigan contest came all the way down to the wire with a missed Freddie Dilione V jumper on the final buzzer, giving the Wolverines a 74-72 win. After five conference games, the blue and white sit winless.
Penn State will break the streak of facing top-of-the-conference and national opponents when it faces UCLA on Wednesday at the Bryce Jordan Center, where the Nittany Lions hold a 7-3 home record.