The University of Pennsylvania men’s basketball team is set to begin its 2025-26 season under new head coach Fran McCaffery on Friday, hosting Rowan University at The Palestra. This game marks the first meeting between Penn and Rowan in men’s basketball.
Friday’s matchup is part of a busy start for the Quakers, who will play three games in five days. After facing Rowan, Penn will travel to play American University on Sunday and then Providence College on Tuesday.
Penn has added two transfers to its roster this season: TJ Power, who previously played at Duke and Virginia, and Lucas Lueth from Kirkwood Community College. Power was a highly regarded recruit out of high school, while Lueth helped lead Kirkwood to an NJCAA Division II national championship last year and was named tournament MVP.
The team also welcomes five freshmen: Ryan Altman, Jay Jones—son of Boston University head coach Joe Jones and nephew of Yale head coach James Jones—Payton Kamin, William Kruse, and Dalton Scantlebury. In total, there are seven newcomers joining the Quakers for the 2025-26 campaign.
Several returning players have notable achievements. Senior Ethan Roberts led Penn in scoring last season with 16.8 points per game and made 59 three-pointers. Sophomore AJ Levine led the team with 26 steals last year. Senior Cam Thrower returns after missing last season due to injury but is expected to contribute immediately.
Fran McCaffery brings an up-tempo style to Penn; his previous teams at Iowa averaged over 82 points per game during his tenure.
This season’s schedule includes participation in the Big 5 “pod” format alongside Saint Joseph’s and Drexel. The results from these group stage games will determine matchups for the Big 5 Classic on December 6 at Xfinity Mobile Area.
On November 17, Penn will host Saint Joseph’s in a game that marks the return of former Penn head coach Steve Donahue, now leading SJU after Billy Lange left for a position with the New York Knicks.
Penn’s November 21 away game against Drexel will be their shortest road trip at just half a mile between venues.
For the fourth consecutive year, Penn will host the Cathedral Classic Thanksgiving tournament featuring La Salle, Merrimack, and Hofstra as opponents over three days from November 28-30.
The Quakers renew their rivalry with Rutgers on December 20; it will be their first meeting since 1975. On New Year’s Eve, they face NJIT at home—a date they last played on in the 2018-19 season.
The Ivy League schedule introduces changes this year. Penn starts league play with five of its first seven games on the road before playing more home games later in the season. Two Ivy League contests—against Yale (January 24) and Princeton (February 7)—will air nationally on ESPNU.
Fans can watch all home games as well as select away contests through ESPN+, which requires a subscription service offering monthly or yearly packages via https://plus.espn.com/. Audio broadcasts are available for free through the Quaker Audio Network at www.pennathletics.com/audio.
“The Ivy League is paired with ESPN and you will be able to find all Penn home games, as well as road Ivy games and select non-conference road games, on ESPN+ again this season with the same high broadcast quality you’ve come to expect,” according to university officials.
“Penn fans can listen to all of the 2025-26 Penn’s men’s basketball season through the Quaker Audio Network, a free Internet-based audio streaming service,” officials stated.
