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THON in the deep hours of the night can get stale. In the hours between musical performances, you’ll find yourself twiddling your thumbs, thinking about your ex-girlfriends, and trying to recall the numbers of pi.

To keep the vibes flowing and the energy high, we decided that THON should play some of Penn State’s best sports games in history on the Bryce Jordan Center’s jumbotrons. Our late-night staff selected some of their favorite games they’d like to see during the graveyard hours of THON.

There’s no better way to celebrate THON than with Penn State football’s biggest win of the Sean Clifford era. The game has enough excitement to keep dancers engaged, and the happy ending makes it all the better. Frankly, I wouldn’t mind if the BJC staff played this a few times over. It’s just ~that good~.

The 2016 White Out is arguably the greatest and most impactful Penn State football game ever played. Not only did this win lead to seven straight, which included a win in the Big Ten Championship and a Rose Bowl berth, but it was also one of the most entertaining games I’ve seen. Urban Meyer brought his JT Barrett-led No. 2 ranked squad into Beaver Stadium and quickly learned the true power of a White Out.

The game was close for 60 minutes and ended in dramatic fashion. Marcus Allen blocked the kick of Tyler Durbin (who was super reliable inside of 40), and Grant Haley returned it for 6, giving Penn State its first lead of the game. After that, the game was practically over and Beaver Stadium was rushed by all. A moment with this energy and excitement is the perfect choice to play deep into the night at THON.

Okay, look. I know nobody wants to watch Penn State lose, but at least this game keeps you guessing until the very end. The women’s volleyball team’s NCAA tournament loss in the regional round had me and every other Penn State fan on the edge of our seats. Following previous games in the season against Wisconsin that had gone to five sets, I think we all know the Nittany Lions had it in them to win against the Badgers, which is what made this loss even more brutal. If you want a fast-paced sport to keep you paying attention, there’s really nothing better than volleyball.

I’m a major hoops fan, but unfortunately, Penn State hasn’t had much success in the program. However, reliving the 2018 NIT Championship game would certainly be a highlight of my THON experience. Lamar Stevens dropped 28 points in that game with John Harrar tallying 12 boards. This team should’ve made the tournament before the COVID-19 pandemic stopped everything, but beggars can’t be choosers.

This was probably my favorite Penn State football game I’ve ever attended, and I would love to watch an encore of it on the BJC big screen during THON. The first play of the game where Michigan had to call a timeout because of the crowd noise is the loudest crowd I’ve ever heard in a stadium. From start to finish, this was a great game, and I think the sentimental value is there, given it was the first White Out in the student section for those graduating this coming May.

This one is still fresh in our memories as Hockey Valley showed out in force to watch the team continue its historic start to the season against No. 1 Michigan at home. The team delivered: Ture Linden, Ashton Calder, and Xander Lamppa lit the lamp and electrified Pegula while Liam Souliere shut out the Wolverines. An instant classic matchup, it’s a must-replay. I would inject this game into my veins, but that’s not very FTK.

Back in 2020, the men’s basketball team was having one of the best seasons in the team’s franchise history. Led by at the time Lamar Stevens and Mike Watkins, this Penn State team was on a mission to return to the Big Dance that March and potentially be in play for a National Championship.

One of the best highlights of that season was the matchup versus Iowa at the Palestra. The energy from the game was insane, and it would no doubt fire up the THON crowd if it was played on the jumbotron.

Since Penn State just got swept by Minnesota, I (and many others) are down in the dumps. Therefore, what’s a better way to cheer us up than putting the 2017 Men’s hockey Big Ten championship game on the jumbotron? Penn State beat Wisconsin 2-1 in overtime at the now-demolished Joe in Detroit to win its first-ever and only Big Ten tournament title so far. And hey, there’s still a chance the Nittany Lions can get one this year, too.

Me again. I have a second selection. Penn State should have sporting events that start in the wee hours of the morning during THON Weekend. How cool would it be if the Lady Lions tipped off at 3 a.m. for dancers to watch live? The answer is so cool, by the way.

Sure, it would suck for the random 20-year-olds from Eastern Michigan or something who have to play a game at a god-awful hour at Penn State, but who cares about them? It’s For The Kids.

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Joe is a sophomore journalism major at Penn State. He enjoys yelling into the Twitter void over various sports items that don't really matter. If you ever want to meet him, Joe's usually watching soccer with his shirt off or at the gym with his shirt on. Find (and disagree with him) on Twitter (Joe_Lister21) or by email ([email protected])

Penn State’s loss was its sixth by 20 points or more of the season.

The total breaks THON’s single-year record for the second consecutive year.

The total breaks THON’s single-year record for the second consecutive year.

On the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center, we asked the Four Diamonds alum a simple question: Is it everything you hoped for?

“This is a dream come true.”

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