Mike Rhoades returned to the Bryce Jordan Center for his weekly press conference, diving into a range of topics as the season winds down. One of the key updates was the unfortunate news that forward Tibor Mirtič will be sidelined for the rest of the season.
Roster Retention
With the regular season wrapping up, Rhoades is having crucial conversations with his players about their future at Penn State. The landscape of roster retention is ever-changing, and Rhoades emphasized the importance of open and honest dialogue.
“A guy has a career high, does that change how he's thinking? There’s a lot of outside factors too,” Rhoades noted. “It's all about having sincere, truthful conversations with your players.”
One of the major focuses for the Nittany Lions is retaining guard Kayden Mingo, who’s been impressive as a freshman, averaging 13.9 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. With his brother, Dylan Mingo, committed to UNC, there’s buzz about a potential reunion on the Tar Heels.
Only senior forward Josh Reed is set to run out of eligibility, meaning Rhoades could potentially bring back up to 12 players.
“It's all about relationships so you can have real conversations,” Rhoades reiterated. “I’m going to speak in truths all the time. We’ve had these conversations and will continue to move forward with them.”
Financial Resources
When asked about financial resources for acquiring talent, Rhoades expressed confidence.
“Talking with Pat Kraft has been great. He wants to do right by us, and that’s the direction we’re pushing toward,” Rhoades shared.
Penn State Athletics reported a $3,004,666 expenditure on NIL revenue for the men’s basketball team last year. Despite a challenging season, Rhoades stressed the importance of accurate player evaluations.
“We pride ourselves on finding guys who turn into special players and pros. They might not be the flashy recruit initially, but they become one,” he said.
Tibor Mirtič Out for Season
Forward Tibor Mirtič, who’s been absent for 13 games due to injury, is confirmed out for the remainder of the season.
“He’ll be done,” Rhoades stated.
Mirtič, who sustained a knee injury against Michigan and later hurt his shoulder during rehab, was a key rotational player. Averaging 3.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, his absence will be felt.
Listed as a freshman, Mirtič has two years of eligibility due to his professional experience in Slovenia. However, since he played in 15 games this season, a medical redshirt seems unlikely.
Week Off
With no early-week game, Penn State enjoyed some much-needed rest. After returning from Nebraska, the team took Sunday and Monday off.
“We had a crazy stretch, but everyone does. It was important for the guys to get their bodies to calm down, get some real sleep, and return to normalcy on campus,” Rhoades explained.
The team resumed practice on Tuesday, which Rhoades described as “great,” and while Wednesday was a rest day, players stayed active in the weight room and gym.
Penn State is gearing up for another practice before facing Iowa on Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center.
“Just getting rid of some of the fatigue we’ve endured these last few weeks,” Rhoades added.