Penn State men's basketball is finding a balance between signees, returnees, and players leaving via the Transfer Portal. After the news broke that head coach Mike Rhoades signed two overseas players and forward Ivan Juric announced his return, the Nittany Lions sustained another loss to the portal.
Penn State basketball secures 2 signees and 1 returning player for 2026-27 season
Rising redshirt junior guard Eli Rice came to Penn State after taking his true freshman season (2023-24) at Nebraska. Rice was a key target for Rhoades and the Nittany Lions back in 2024 when picking him up out of the portal.
NEWS: Penn State guard Eli Rice is entering the transfer portal per his agent @Jshaughn_23 of @SHASportsAgency pic.twitter.com/FP82pOSWLx
— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) April 6, 2026
Guard Eli Rice expected to enter the Transfer Portal on Tuesday, April 7
He was brought into a similar system to that of the Cornhuskers' and was expected to fit in swimmingly with Rhoades' vision for the program moving forward. After his debut representing the blue and white in 2024, however, his sophomore season was over. Rice sustained a season-ending injury and logged just roughly seven minutes of playing time against Saint Francis in the season-opener.
"My No. 1 priority with [Rice] is his health and his wellness and safety," Rhoades shared with media at the start of the 2024-25 season. "He's an integral part of us building this program and building it the right way, and we're going to make sure he gets to 100 and he's going to be an important part of moving forward here, so I want to get him healthy."
Rice returned to Happy Valley for the 2025-26 season, playing in 29 games and making 18 starts. He averaged 4.2 points per game and shot 41.3 percent from the field, 37 percent from beyond the arc, and 71.9 percent from the free throw line. Rice also tallied 23 defensive rebounds, six assists, four offensive rebounds, four blocks, and three steals as a redshirt sophomore.
After yet another disappointing season at Penn State, though, Rice decided that his time as a Nittany Lion is complete. Rice's agent announced the news on Monday, April 6. This means Rhoades' squad is down three guards at least heading into this offseason. Freshman Melih Tunca was the first to announce his intention on entering the portal followed by junior Freddie Dilione V, who was Penn State's top scorer in 2025-26.