After Penn State’s ninth straight conference loss, head coach Mike Rhoades returned to the Bryce Jordan Center media room on Tuesday afternoon, facing questions about his team’s struggles, his approach to building the program, and the support he’s receiving from the school’s administration. Despite the tough stretch, Rhoades remains focused on the long-term vision - and he’s confident he’s not alone in that pursuit.
Backing from the Top
Rhoades, now in his third year at the helm, didn’t shy away from acknowledging the challenges of building a winning basketball culture at a school with a history of only “pockets of success.” But when it comes to institutional support, he made it clear he feels empowered.
“That’s the envelope I’ve got to push all the time, and we’re going to fight for that,” Rhoades said. “What’s great about working for Pat Kraft is I can have those open conversations with him about where we need to go and where we need to push.”
Kraft, Penn State’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, has been a steady presence during Rhoades’ tenure. The two share a common goal: transform Penn State into a consistent winner. And Rhoades appreciates the open-door dynamic that allows for honest, strategic conversations about how to get there.
The current season hasn’t been kind to the Nittany Lions. They’re 9-11 overall and winless in Big Ten play at 0-9.
That comes on the heels of a 16-15 finish last season and a 16-17 record in Rhoades’ first year. But this year’s team is built differently - and younger.
According to Rhoades, Penn State is not only the youngest team in the Big Ten but also one of the youngest in the country. That inexperience has been a factor, especially in a conference where teams are increasingly leaning into veteran lineups.
“The culture of college basketball now is to get older quicker - to get bigger, stronger, and older - and our league is doing that in a very specific way,” Rhoades said. “That’s something we’ve got to address as we move forward.
But what’s great about Pat is it’s not a ‘No.’ It’s, ‘Alright, let’s see what we can do.’
And we have some great conversations about it.”
Breaking Down the Ohio State Loss
Penn State’s latest setback came Monday night in Columbus, where a first-half surge by Ohio State proved too much to overcome. The Buckeyes went on a 14-2 run midway through the first half to open up a 25-11 lead. Although the Nittany Lions briefly cut the deficit to 10 with under four minutes left in the half, Ohio State closed strong and took a commanding 50-32 lead into the break.
The Buckeyes shot a blistering 66.7% from the field and 54.5% from beyond the arc in the first half - numbers that Rhoades didn’t sugarcoat.
“We’re just not a very good defensive team,” he said. “In league play, other teams are shooting 52% from the field and 41% from three. That’s not winning basketball.”
Rhoades pointed to a mix of youth and difficulty defending high-level players as key factors. While Penn State did a solid job limiting Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton to nine points on just six shots, it was freshman John Mobley Jr. who torched the Lions for 25 points, including five threes.
It marked the third straight game Penn State found itself in a deep halftime hole. And while the team clawed back to within one point at 60-59 in the second half, the early damage was too much to undo. Ohio State held on for an 84-78 win.
“I think our defense, our guarding in the half court, we struggled - just not consistent,” Rhoades said. “And when another team goes on a run, instead of having poise, it becomes, ‘I’ve got to hit a three.
I’ve got to make a play to get us back in it.’ And that makes it a snowball.
It’s become a big snowball in some of these games.”
Rotations and Rising Roles
Rhoades’ lineup decisions also drew attention Monday, particularly the increased minutes for guard Melih Tunca and the limited role for forward Mason Blackwood.
Tunca, who had played just 16 total minutes across the previous two games, logged 17 against Ohio State - and made them count. The Turkish guard poured in 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting and looked much more assertive on both ends.
“What was promising for Melih yesterday was how hard he tried to play defense and he battled,” Rhoades said. “If you get lost in the game of effort and just being aggressive and flying around, usually your instincts take over. You saw that on the offensive end.”
Meanwhile, Blackwood - fresh off a career night against Wisconsin (14 points, 6 rebounds) - saw only four minutes. Rhoades chalked it up to gameflow.
Eli Rice was on fire, scoring a career-high 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from deep in 34 minutes. Forward Josh Reed also had a strong showing with 13 points and five boards in 38 minutes.
“Mason’s had some great games for us,” Rhoades said. “But the way the game was going yesterday, I thought Josh was playing really well, and Eli was shooting the ball well. Some of it is, I didn’t want to have three or four freshmen on the court at the same time.”
In the frontcourt, Saša Ciani and Justin Houser each saw just one minute of action. Rhoades praised Houser’s development in practice but noted that the speed of the game is still something he’s adjusting to.
“We’re going to go with the guys that can help us in that moment,” Rhoades said. “Some matchups are better than others, and we try to put them out there to have a chance with the right group to succeed.”
Looking Ahead
Rhoades isn’t hiding from the reality of Penn State’s current record, nor is he making excuses. But he’s also not hitting the panic button. He’s focused on building - with a young roster, with administrative backing, and with an eye toward sustainable success.
The growing pains are real, but so is the belief that better days are ahead - if the foundation continues to be laid the right way.