We’re going team-by-team across Big Ten men’s basketball to assess where everyone stands and how things could shake out in 2026-27.
Penn State enters year four with Mike Rhoades trending in the wrong direction. After winning their first NCAA Tournament game in 22 years in 2023 under Micah Shrewsberry, the Nittany Lions have stumbled to three straight losing seasons. PSU won 16 games in each of Rhoades’ first two seasons, before falling to 12-20 last year and finishing last place in the Big Ten. His job security could be riding on improvement this year.
WHO’S GONE:
- Freddie Dilione V (14 PPG)
- Kayden Mingo (13.7 PPG)
- Josh Reed (11.5 PPG)
- Melih Tunca (7.8 PPG)
- Eli Rice (6.7 PPG)
- Dominick Stewart (6.6 PPG)
- Tibor Mirtic (3.7 PPG)
- Mason Blackwood (2.6 PPG)
- Saaa Ciani (2.1 PPG)
- Justin Houser (1.4 PPG)
WHO’S BACK:
- Ivan Juric, F, So. (10.2 PPG)
- Reggie Grodin, G, R-Fr. (redshirt)
WHO’S NEW:
Transfer portal
- Brant Byers, G/F, R-Jr. (14.2 PPG at Miami (OH))
- Thomas Allard, G, Gr. (13.7 PPG at Division II Alabama-Huntsville)
- Roberts Blums, G, Jr. (12.4 PPG at Davidson)
- Jay Rodgers, G, Sr. (11 PPG at Central Connecticut State)
- Tim Oboh, F, Jr. (8.5 PPG at Buffalo)
Freshmen (Rankings from 247Sports)
- Andy Gemao, G (international, unranked)
- Roko Prkacin, F (international, unranked)
- Francois Wibaut, F (international, unranked)
- Aleksandar Zecevic, F (international, unranked)
RETURNING MINUTES: 12.5 percent (per barttorvik.com) (tied for 16th in the Big Ten)
Why it will work
Rhoades doesn’t have much margin for error with the group he’s assembled for 2026-27. Juric was solid for Penn State last season, leading the team with 5.3 rebounds per game. But he’s the lone returnee with collegiate experience, and he would need a huge step forward to become a top option for a competitive team.
Byers was the second-leading scorer for Miami (OH) last year, playing a big role in the Redhawks’ historic season. The Big Ten is a big step up from the MAC, but Byers won more conference games with Miami last season than Rhoades has won in his first three seasons in Happy Valley combined. That sort of winning pedigree is needed for the Nittany Lions.
Why it won’t
Including Byers, Rhoades is going to need to hit on several mid-major transfers and international freshmen just to avoid the cellar in the Big Ten standings this year. Could it happen? Sure. Will it happen? It seems highly unlikely.
The Nittany Lions played abysmal defense in 2025-26 — they allowed both Indiana’s Lamar Wilkerson and Maryland’s David Coit to tie or set program 3-point records against them. Opponents shot 38.8 percent from 3-point range against PSU, one of the worst defensive marks in the country. The offense didn’t come close to doing enough to overcome that, and there isn’t much reason to expect things to drastically change this year.
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