Penn State basketball is only a few days away!

Year three of the Mike Rhoades tenure is upon us, coming off a 16-15 record and a 6-14 record in the Big Ten a season ago, Penn State is looking to bounce back after a disappointing end to last year’s campaign.

The Nittany Lions tip off their season on Monday, November 3, against Fairfield at the Bryce Jordan Center. Before the season gets underway, our staffers made their predictions for how the blue and white will fare this winter.

Jason Perry: 18-13, NIT Appearance

Penn State hoops is back with a chance at a fresh start. The team looked fine last season, but a lot of top players left, and the 2025-26 roster is full of new faces and freshmen. I’m not sure if anyone knows exactly what this team will look like, but it’s a chance for Mike Rhoades to turn the program in a new direction.

If the young players can make the adjustment from high school to college basketball and everyone can play well together, this team can soar above its expectations. I’m not going to say they have a real chance to finish at the top, but don’t be surprised to see them in the middle of the pack instead of dead last.

I predict the Nittany Lions to win most of their non-conference games and a handful of conference games to achieve a solid winning record. A conference record above .500 and/or a good Big Ten Tournament performance would bring a chance at an NCAA appearance, but the NIT tournament is a more likely postseason scenario for Penn State.

Jacob Zacharia: 18-13, NCAA Tournament Appearance

The Nittany Lions will be on the bubble of the NCAA tournament, which would be an overall win on the season when you think about this team’s expectations coming into the year. Penn State’s young roster, led by its highest recruit in history, Kayden Mingo, can make some noise in the Big Ten if it can fill in the hole of lack of experience with overall grit and fight from a hungry team.

If guys like Dominick Stewart and Eli Rice show signs of improvement in handling the ball and creating buckets, this team could cause some problems with multiple scoring options on the court.

Fernando Martinez Ruiz De Esparza: 15-16, No Postseason Appearance

Despite ending last season with a winning record for the first time in the Mike Rhoades era, the Nittany Lions had a disappointing season that ended with them missing the postseason altogether, including the Big Ten Tournament. Now, the blue and white were picked to finish last in the Big Ten in the preseason media poll, and things won’t be easy for the team this season.

This season is expected to be a transition year with eight freshmen on Penn State’s 13-man roster, including the highly talented freshman Kayden Mingo. If Penn State wants to outperform its expectations and be highly competitive in the Big Ten, he’s going to have to be the anchor of this team. That’s too much to ask for a freshman. For that reason, I think we should have low expectations for the team this season, even though I think he will perform at a high level.

I think they get off to a strong start in their mostly weak non-conference schedule, but things might get ugly for the team when the Big Ten schedule comes around. There is a boatload of talent and experienced players in this conference, something the Nittany Lions are lacking this season. The blue and white struggle in conference play and will have an early exit in the Big Ten Tournament, leading to an early offseason. However, I think this team is set up for a bright future as the freshmen get much-needed development this season.

Karlee Feger: 17-14, NCAA Tournament Appearance

I am anticipating a season of growth for this young team. I believe Freddie Dilione V will help to lead the squad after an impressive showing last season, along with Josh Reed, a senior transfer who brings experience and versatility with him from Cincinnati. Saša Ciani, another transfer, will be a strong rebounding presence. There will be a learning curve, but I believe this team has the potential to have a solid season with their size and ambition.

Michael Zeno: 14-17, No Postseason Appearance

It’s never a good sign when, on a roster with only three holdovers, you only bring in one transfer. Aside from Kayden Mingo, there’s not a whole lot to be excited about for this basketball team. They’re going to roll their extremely soft non-conference schedule, but flatline against Big Ten competition. At least there won’t be false hope like last year?

Ally Eaton: 17-14, No Postseason Appearance

I’m confident in my guy Mike Rhoades to still get some solid wins out of this newbie squad. It’s going to be a gritty, uphill season, but if anyone can get it done, it’s this guy. Fresh faces help to create a building block for the team, building on new momentum. I think the Nittany Lions will do better than most give them credit for, but will fall short of an NCAA Tournament appearance.

Cooper Cazares: 31-0, National Champions

Penn State basketball shocks the world. The Nittany Lions go undefeated, win the Big Ten, and win the natty. Penn State is a basketball school now, folks. #WhyNotUs #RagsToRiches #ChopWood

Oscar Orellana: 15-16, No Postseason Appearance

Penn State hoops is back with fresh faces and a whole lot of question marks. While I expect Kayden Mingo to provide some highlight moments throughout the season, this squad simply lacks depth. It won’t be able to compete with the big dogs of the Big Ten, but it won’t be a pushover, either.

I think the season is going to be just fine. With the disaster class that was the second half of last season, I hope Mike Rhoades has brushed himself off and has prepared this young team for his third year in charge. Overall, though, I only see this as a stepping stone and a developmental year for better things to come. As long as the team finishes around the middle of the pack in the Big Ten, I think the season will be a big success.

Michael Siroty: 14-17, No Postseason Appearance

My record prediction last year was one game off, so I’m feeling pretty confident with this pick. While Penn State has some good players like Kayden Mingo and Eli Rice, it lacks depth and star talent, which has been proven to be a key in the Big Ten.

I see the Nittany Lions dropping two out of their three non-conference matchups with Providence, Pitt, and La Salle. Then, in conference play, I think they’ll go 5-15.

The Big Ten is the second-best basketball conference in the nation, and I don’t think the mid-tier teams are getting enough credit for the talent they have, which is why I think it’ll be difficult for Penn State to win consistently. Mike Rhoades, I hope you prove me wrong. Let’s play ball.

CJ Gill: 13-18, No Postseason Appearance

The Nittany Lions’ season did not finish how many expected or wanted it to last year. With plenty of roster turnover this offseason and new faces arriving in Happy Valley, there is not much to go off of for how year three under Rhoades will go. Nobody in the national media expects this year’s squad will make any noise in the Big Ten, and for what it’s worth, they probably aren’t far off.

Penn State begins the year with a very soft out-of-conference schedule, and it will help boost the win column before Big Ten play. There will be plenty of growing pains this winter with a young group trying to find its footing in a challenging basketball conference.

But there will also be moments of promise when the Nittany Lions’ young talent shines. This year might be a struggle for the boys, but better days are ahead with Rhoades at the helm and some of the newcomers he has brought into that locker room.