Twenty years ago the Penn State basketball program made it to the Sweet 16 while finishing the Big Ten regular-season schedule with 7 wins and 9 losses. If the team can find a way to a 7-9 finish this year, it would likely need a win in the Big Ten tournament to have a shot at getting an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Only twice since joining the league has the Penn State basketball program been in a position to make the NCAA Tournament without winning a game in the Big Ten tournament. With a conference record of 12-6 during the 1995-96 season the team was a lock heading into the Big Ten Tournament.