The Penn State Nittany Lions will face off against the Charlotte 49ers on Thursday in the Gildan Charleston Classic. The Charleston Classic does not have any ranked teams participating this year, but it is certainly a deep tournament with several teams that will be in the thick of the race for a 2015 NCAA Tournament bid. Since that’s the case, it’s a great opportunity for Penn State to showcase their talent early in the year.
The Nittany Lions have started the year well with victories over Morgan State and Fordham. Guard D.J. Newbill has been the most impressive player on the court, averaging 17.5 points on 44% shooting to go along with 4 assists per game. Brandon Taylor and Ross Travis have fourteen and fifteen rebounds, respectively, through two games and they will need a lot more during the opening tournament for any chance to take home the title. Lurking in the bracket are the USC Trojans and the South Carolina Gamecocks, two big conference programs hoping for a tourney appearance this year.
For Penn State fans looking to make the trip down from Happy Valley, affordable hotels in Charleston are available for as low as $116 from Hipmunk. With a difficult schedule on tap and the opportunity to really prove their mettle to begin this season, the Nittany Lions will certainly appreciate any assistance they can receive from the crowd. And with Charleston relatively close to Charlotte, the 49ers will have a good showing at the court that the Nittany Lions will have to overcome.
Hotels aren’t the only affordable thing for the trip as you can soar into South Carolina for as little as $300 if you are departing from Philadelphia. Hipmunk also shows you available trains which can be found for much less than a flight at just $220. Either way, Hipmunk is a great resource to plan out your trip to South Carolina to cheer on Penn State in their first true test of the season.
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