The 2025-26 season has been a grind for Penn State men’s basketball - and not unexpectedly so. With a 9-11 overall record and still searching for their first Big Ten win at 0-9, the Nittany Lions are taking their lumps in a conference that’s as deep and experienced as ever. But when you take a closer look at the roster, the growing pains start to make a lot more sense.
Head coach Mike Rhoades has been transparent from the jump: this year was always going to be about development. Penn State is rolling out one of the youngest squads in the country - not just in the Big Ten, but across all of Power Five basketball. According to RotoWire, the Nittany Lions have the youngest Power Five roster in America, with an average age of just 18.85 years.
That’s not just a fun fact - it’s a critical lens through which to view this season. Penn State’s roster is built around eight freshmen, with only two sophomores, two juniors, and one senior providing any semblance of veteran presence. In a league where most teams are leaning on seasoned upperclassmen and fifth-year players, Rhoades is effectively coaching a high-level AAU team against grown men.
To put it in perspective, here’s how Penn State stacks up against the other youngest teams in the Power Five:
- #1. Penn State (Big Ten) - 18.85 average age - Record: 9-11 (0-9 Big Ten)
- #2. Colorado (Big 12) - 18.93 - 12-8 (2-5)
- #3. Rutgers (Big Ten) - 19.00 - 9-11 (2-7)
- #4. Arkansas (SEC) - 19.07 - 15-5 (5-2)
- #4. Virginia Tech (ACC) - 19.07 - 15-6 (4-4)
- #5. Miami (ACC) - 19.18 - 16-4 (5-2)
- #6. Marquette (Big East) - 19.29 - 7-14 (2-8)
- #7. North Carolina (ACC) - 19.31 - 16-4 (4-3)
- #8. Auburn (SEC) - 19.33 - 13-7 (4-3)
- #8. Georgia Tech (ACC) - 19.33 - 11-9 (2-5)
- #9. Texas Tech (Big 12) - 19.36 - 16-4 (6-1)
- #9. Iowa (Big Ten) - 19.36 - 14-5 (4-4)
- #10. Northwestern (Big Ten) - 19.40 - 9-11 (1-8)
- #10. Notre Dame (ACC) - 19.40 - 11-9 (2-5)
- #10. Boston College (ACC) - 19.40 - 9-11 (2-5)
The average age across these Top-10 youngest Power Five teams is 19.22, with an average overall record of 12-8 and a conference mark of 3-5. So while youth doesn’t automatically mean struggle - just look at Arkansas and Miami - it does require a certain level of patience, especially in a league as unforgiving as the Big Ten.
For Penn State, the road ahead doesn’t get any easier. Up next is a Thursday night matchup against Northwestern - another young squad, tied for the 10th-youngest in the Power Five with an average age of 19.40. The Wildcats, like Penn State, are trying to find their footing in Big Ten play and sit at 9-11 overall, 1-8 in the conference.
Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois.
There are no shortcuts in college basketball, and Penn State is learning that lesson in real time. But while the record might not reflect it just yet, the foundation is being laid. This isn’t just a rebuilding year - it’s a reimagining of what’s possible when a young team gets the chance to grow together.