STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WHTM) – Basketball season will start early for the Penn State men’s team, who will play at least two exhibition games in the Bahamas in early August.

The Nittany Lions will spend seven days, August 6-13, soaking up the sun in the Bahamas and getting warmed up for the season.

This will be the first official gameplay under new head coach Mike Rhoades.

“This valuable time to work and play together during a foreign trip will help us as we move into our first season together,” said Rhoades. “We have many new players with a brand-new staff and the time together will hopefully create bonds and relationships that we will value very much.”

Penn State will take on The Bahamas national team on Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. and on Thursday, Aug. 10 at 4:30 p.m. Penn State will play the University of Victoria (Canada).

Under NCAA rules, basketball programs are allowed to go international to participate in exhibition games once every four years. Penn State’s last venture was in 2017 to the Bahamas. Previously, the team visited Belgium, France, and England in 2013.

Last season under Micah Shrewsberry Penn State went 23-14 and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.