Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519242
4 0 M A Y 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M H ead coach Mike Rhoades didn't attempt to down- play the peaks and valleys of his debut season leading the Penn State men's basketball program. The Nittany Lions went 16-17 overall and 9-11 in Big Ten play, putting together what Rhoades described as a "very, very interesting" year. Given the meaning behind it, the short phrase was an understatement. Introduced as Penn State's new head coach on March 30, 2023, Rhoades quickly assembled his staff and went about the task of recruiting a roster. Two months later, three scholarship players decided to stick around, and 10 new faces were introduced via the transfer portal. Gelling through the summer, the Nittany Lions em- barked on a campaign that included a humbling five- game losing streak in the first month of action and, eventually, upset wins, blowout losses, a three-game winning streak, the abrupt dismissal of leading scorer Kanye Clary, and everything in between. Having watched his team fight through the ups and downs of the season, Rhoades emerged convinced the program was better and stronger for the experience. And, maybe more important, he proved that his formula could work in the Big Ten, that he was not wrong to take a leap of faith by leaving mid-major basketball power Virginia Commonwealth for a major-conference school without much of a hoops tradition. "I know we can get this done at Penn State," Rhoades said. "I know it's going to be really hard, but I have some great support. Some things are different now when people are dealing with Penn State basketball, and I think I have people who are looking to help me push the envelope to move this program forward. I feel that, and I'm excited about it. MEN'S BASKETBALL Next Level After laying a solid foundation in coach Mike Rhoades' first season, PSU now looks to build on it NATE BAUER | N AT E . B A U E R @ O N 3 . C O M Ace Baldwin Jr. was a force on both ends of the court for the Nittany Lions, averaging a team-best 14.2 points per game while also leading the Big Ten in steals with 2.7 per game and winning the league's Defensive Player of the Year award. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL