Freshman point guard Kayden Mingo may be just 20 games into his college career, but he’s already showing the kind of maturity and drive that coaches dream about. After Penn State’s 84-78 loss to Ohio State on Monday, Mingo sat next to head coach Mike Rhoades on the team bus, breaking down the game possession by possession. That kind of accountability and hunger for growth is rare-especially in a first-year player.
“He takes great ownership in his play, good and bad,” Rhoades said. “He wants to get better. For a freshman point guard, this is eating at him, too, but he has a great mindset right now-just trying to get better.”
That mindset is being tested right now. Mingo’s return from a broken nose has come with its share of ups and downs.
He looked sharp in his first game back, dropping 19 points and dishing out five assists on 58.3% shooting against Maryland. But since then, the numbers have dipped.
In back-to-back matchups against Wisconsin and Ohio State, he’s managed just 10 points total, shooting a combined 4-for-18 from the field.
Against the Badgers, Mingo struggled to find rhythm, going 3-for-14 and missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc. Ohio State didn’t make life any easier-he hit just one of his four shots from the field. But despite the scoring slump, Rhoades was quick to point out Mingo’s evolving role as a facilitator.
“Teams are doing that with Kayden,” Rhoades said. “They’re changing defenses, trying to take him out of rhythm.
But he got going a little bit. He had eight assists.
Too many turnovers, but eight assists. He got guys shots.
I thought he got into the interior of the zone-and even man-to-man-and created for others.”
One of those assists sparked a key stretch for the Nittany Lions. Early in the second half, Mingo found wing Eli Rice for a three-pointer that ignited a 27-10 run. It was a reminder that even when the shot isn’t falling, Mingo can still control the tempo and make plays.
He’s also adjusting to playing with a protective face mask, a necessity after the injury that sidelined him for three games. It’s not the easiest thing for a point guard who thrives on court vision and quick decision-making.
“There was an adjustment at the start,” Mingo said. “Now, it's starting to get normal. It's definitely not the same as looking straight on without something in your face, but it's what we gotta do.”
Before the injury, Mingo had been a steady scoring option for Penn State, hitting double figures in 12 of his first 14 games. Since returning, he’s done that just once.
But defenses are clearly keying in on him now, and that attention is opening up opportunities for his teammates. His eight assists against Ohio State matched his season high, which he previously set back on Dec. 13 against Michigan State.
Through 17 games, Mingo is averaging 14.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. He’s shooting 46.7% from the field, though his 3-point percentage sits at 23%-an area he’s focused on improving with 11 regular-season games still to go.
“He’s 20 games into his career, and we’re all expecting so much of him because we need a lot from him,” Rhoades said. “But he’s got to ride the wave, too.
Some games, he’s only gonna have six points and eight assists. Some games, he might get 16 points and four assists.
But he’s got to continue to learn and get better.”
And that’s exactly what Mingo is doing-learning, adjusting, and competing. The numbers may fluctuate, but the mindset? That’s rock solid.