Penn State Nittany Lions

2023-2024 Result: 16-17 record (9-11 Big 10)

Projected Starting Lineup

Head Coach: Mike Rhoades (2nd season)

Guard: Ace Baldwin Jr. (5th year)

Guard: Freddie Dilione V (SO)

Guard: Nick Kern Jr. (SR)

Forward: Zach Hicks (SR)

Center: Yanic Konan Niederhauser (JR)

Key Additions

Freddy Dilione V (Tennessee)

Yanic Konan Niederhauser (NIU)

Miles Goodman (4-star recruit)

Key Losses

Kanye Clary

Qudus Wahab

Penn State appears to be in a tough spot heading into year two of the Mike Rhoades era. They dismissed Kanye Clary from the team last season and lost Qudus Wahab. While they brought in Freddy Dillone V and Yanic Konan Niederhauser, as well as 4-star Miles Goodman, that does not replace the production that the Nittany Lions lost from last year. Niederhauser will replace the size lost in Wahab, but whether he has the same impact or not remains to be seen. Ace Baldwin will have to run the show and Nick Kern and Zach Hicks will really have to step up with the loss of scoring in Clary and Wahab.

This will be a tough season for Penn State basketball. The bright spot might be their defense this season, as they have Ace Baldwin Jr., who can be a pest to opposing guards, and transfer 7-footer Yanic Konan Niederhauser who averaged over 2 blocks per game in 20 minutes at Northern Illinois last season. Despite these stats, I am not sure what happened in their secret scrimmage against Villanova where Eric Dixon had 38 points, but that does not sound promising for the frontcourt defense. Granted, Dixon is one of the better players in the Big East, but that is still not encouraging. They have some bigger guards that can defend multiple positions on the perimeter making it easier for them to switch things. This is likely a factor in why they were a top 20 team in the country defending the three-point line a year ago, but their interior defense and rebound rate were a struggle. If their scrimmage against Villanova is forecasting anything, it could be a much similar year to last year on the defensive end of the floor.

Between Kanye Clary and Qudus Wahab, the Nittany Lions lost nearly 27 points per game with their departures. This was already going to be difficult for Mike Rhoades to replace at a hurting basketball school like Penn State, but he really did not bring in much scoring. Nick Kern and Zach Hicks will need to step up in a big way to help Ace Baldwin out because otherwise, it will be a one man show on this end of the court. Freddie Dillone V does not have much of a sample size from his time at Tennessee, so it remains to be seen what he can do, but he is expected to start. Niederhauser will be serviceable on the offensive end, but definitely not a go-to scorer. Puff Johnson and D’Marco Dunn will look to take a leap offensively in their final year of eligibility because the opportunity will be there. Baldwin cannot do it alone.

Penn State is set up for a rocky season in year two of the Mike Rhoades era. They do not have much offensive firepower outside of Ace Baldwin, and it's highly unlikely that a small guard will be able to carry a team in the BIG 10 night in and night out. Hopefully there are better days ahead for the Nittany Lions, but it will not be this season.