Penn State men’s basketball began its third season under coach Mike Rhoades with a new roster, but modest expectations on the court despite these fresh faces.
The Nittany Lions experienced a busy offseason as Rhoades retooled his team with transfers and recruits, with an opportunity to improve the program’s standing in the Big Ten. The main emphasis was on the frontcourt, which underwent a complete roster overhaul, likely resulting in all new starters.
Senior transfer Josh Reed headlines the new group after he arrived via the transfer portal from Cincinnati, where he made 97 appearances. However, the Atlanta native only made nine starts over this three-year career and will have an opportunity to take on a larger role in Happy Valley.
Reed, the only senior on the blue and white, offers leadership and experience unmatched on Rhoades’ roster, which earned him recognition as one of four captains this season.
The 6-foot-8, 230-pound wing offers a blend of efficient scoring, rebounding, and defensive capabilities in the frontcourt as a likely starter.
Head coach Mike Rhodes points down court in the Penn State men’s basketball game against Oregon in the Bryce Jordan Center on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 in University Park, Pa. The Ducks beat the Nittany Lions 82-81.
Samantha Oropeza
The Nittany Lions have a unit that isn’t predicted to do much, as they were picked as the worst team in the Big Ten at conference media day, but that leaves plenty of room for upside.
One player with notable upside potential is forward Eli Rice, who played the second-most minutes for the blue and white in its 78-62 exhibition loss to Dayton, only behind top freshman guard, Kayden Mingo. Both Mingo and Rice have already been named captains this season and are likely starters.
The Gallatin, Tennessee, native, and a former three-star recruit, had the lowest plus-minus among the starters for the Nittany Lions in the first exhibition game of this season. He favored outside shots against the Flyers, as the IMG Academy product went 2-for-8 from the field, with only one shot attempt not coming from beyond the arc.
Forward Saša Ciani (22), left, guard Kayden Mingo (4), middle, and guard Melih Tunca (9), right, speak at a press conference in the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 in University Park, Pa.
Andrea Lara-Marcial
The redshirt sophomore will have a chance to improve a college career that has been hampered by injuries, as he has only played in 18 games over two seasons. All but one of those games took place in 2023-24 at Nebraska, where Rice tallied 4.2 points per game and displayed an excellent shooting touch.
The third wing in the wing rotation is freshman forward Mason Blackwood, who played a key role off the bench in Penn State’s first exhibition game.
As the sixth man, the Rochester, New York, native demonstrated rebounding ability and playmaking skills, and he was one of three Nittany Lions to avoid a turnover. Yet, Blackwood spent more than twice the amount of time on the court as those other two players combined.
Blackwood, a four-star recruit, is 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds. His size has helped him achieve AAU averages of 12.6 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game, slating him as a key two-way contributor for Penn State this year.
To complete the wings, walk-on freshman Chris Lotito is listed at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier than his senior year high school measurements. With this physical growth, the Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, native joins the roster as a developmental prospect, as he totaled a little under 5.57 points per game in his senior year at Don Bosco Prep.
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