Nearly the entire Penn State basketball starting five from 2023-24 returns, giving Mike Rhoades an excellent chance to bring the Nittany Lions back to the big dance.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Penn State basketball.
Last season was the first at University Park for former VCU coach Mike Rhoades and it wasn’t what he likely envisioned. Despite a talented transfer class, including a lot of former Rams, Penn State reverted to old ways, going just 16-17 and also finishing under .500 in Big Ten play.
This year, Penn State is hoping experience will pay off. Star point guard Ace Baldwin is one of four returning starters for the upcoming season. While some star power is lost in Kanye Clary and Qudus Wahab, Rhoades once again brought in another talented class of transfers to offset that.
It’s also a big freshman class that includes big man Miles Goodman, who will look to compete for minutes in a competitive frontcourt. Forward Hudson Ward could also see some minutes at the end of the bench.
Penn State’s ceiling will ultimately come down to how much team chemistry pays off and how some of the newcomers pan out. Xavier transfer Kachi Nzeh could be a very underrated starting big man and Northern Illinois transfer Yanic Konan Nierderhauser could rival him for the starting job. Sometimes, internal battles can make teams better, and that might be the case on this year’s Penn State basketball team.
Click here to learn more about our preseason top 100 teams heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.
Head coach: Mike Rhoades (2nd season at Penn State, 11th season overall)
2023-24 record: 16-17 (9-11)
2024 postseason finish: No postseason
Notable departures:
- Kanye Clary (16.7 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 37.7 3P%)
- Qudus Wahab (9.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.5 BPG, 59.4 FG%)
- Jameel Brown (4.0 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.3 APG)
Notable non-conference games:
- vs. Virginia Tech (Nov. 15)
- Sunshine Slam (Nov. 25-26)
Projected Rotation
PG: Ace Baldwin Jr. (6-1, 190, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 14.2 PPG, 6.0 APG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 SPG, 38.9 FG%
SG: D’Marco Dunn (6-5, 195, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 6.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.6 APG, 36.6 3P%
SF: Nick Kern Jr. (6-6, 200, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 8.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 54.7 FG%
PF: Zach Hicks (6-8, 200, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 8.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 35.2 FG%
C: Kachi Nzeh (6-8, 230, So.)
2023-24 stats: 2.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.4 APG (Xavier)
6: Puff Johnson (6-8, 205, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 7.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.2 APG
7: Yanic Konan Nierderhauser (7-0, 255, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 7.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.3 APG, 54.1 FG% (Northern Illinois)
8: Eli Rice (6-8, 215, So.)
2023-24 stats: 4.2 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 0.4 APG, 37.0 3P%
9: Freddie Dilione V (6-5, 195, Rs.-So.)
2023-24 stats: 1.7 PPG, 0.6 RPG, 0.8 APG (Tennessee)
10: Miles Goodman (6-11, 225, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #108 ranked recruit
11: Hudson Ward (6-7, 210, Fr.)
247Sports Composite #138 ranked recruit
Penn State Basketball team MVP: Ace Baldwin Jr.
One of the top playmakers in power conference basketball, Baldwin returns for a fifth year of college basketball. He’s had some great moments, but has yet to win a game in the NCAA Tournament.
For that to change, Baldwin will need to elevate his teammates. He won’t have a Kanye Clary to rely on in the scoring department or a Qudus Wahab down low. In fact, there is no glaring number two scorer to go alongside Baldwin.
While I wouldn’t bet on Baldwin needing to shoulder most of the load, he will bring a lot to the table and could wind up leading the Nittany Lions in PPG, APG, and SPG. Baldwin is a clear star in one of the deepest leagues in college basketball.
Penn State Basketball make-or-break player: Zach Hicks
If I had to choose who will be second fiddle to Baldwin, I’d go with Zach Hicks. First off, he can help anchor the frontcourt next to whoever starts at center. While Hicks isn’t a beast on the boards, he will help in that department.
Scoring is the key here though, and admittedly, Hicks isn’t the most efficient player on the team. He only made about 35% of his shots last season. However, he runs the floor well, and does most of his damage behind the arc, where he was efficient from last season.
Hicks spends a lot of time behind the arc, which is great for his game, but if he can expand it into driving to the bucket, he could become a great second option. Regardless, he looks to be a crucial player and scorer on this team.
Key analytic: Rebounding
Last year, Penn State basketball was one of the worst rebounding teams in the country, finishing outside the top 300 in RPG and DRPG. This was despite having one of the best rebounders in the Big Ten, in Wahab.
This year, they no longer have Wahab, and don’t have anyone set in stone to match his production.
While head coach Mike Rhoades will play a smaller lineup that will look to get out and run, rebounding is a MAJOR concern. This is especially true for a team that had trouble being efficient on offense. When you can’t get second chances or keep the other team from doing the same, you better be hitting more than 43.8% from the field as a team.
Penn State has the talent to improve from last season and make a run at the NCAA Tournament. However, in a competitive conference, improvements like being tougher on the glass are necesseties.
Penn State Basketball 2024-25 projections
Projected conference finish: 17th in the Big Ten
Projected postseason ceiling: NIT Appearance