Penn State men's basketball was voted the worst team in the Big Ten at conference media day due to its new-look squad, full of recruits. While it's a talented group, entering this season, it was unproven, leaving Happy Valley hoops in dismay as the Nittany Lions established an on-court identity.
Fans expected growing pains for the blue and white on the hardwood in 2025-26. While that's been the case early in the season, there's also room for optimism and to expect better days ahead.
The Nittany Lions are only five games in, but they're undefeated. It's been an up-and-down tempo on the court. Despite the unanimous results against the inferior-ranked opponents, the play has been less than confident.
Game 1 - Penn State v. Fairfield
Penn State opened its season at home in the Bryce Jordan Center. Anticipation grew for the start of the basketball season, but that excitement almost disppeared as Fairfield nearly spoiled the occasion.
Forward Brandon Benjamin led the Stags with an 18-point double-double. Guard Braden Sparks scored a game-high 25 points. Fairfield's duo propelled it to a tied first half of play, but the Nittany Lions' depth and pace slowly wore them down.
Penn State finished with 41 points off the bench, while the Stags scored 4. Fairfield had no choice but to foul to stop the blue and white. The Nittany Lions notched 21 fouls drawn to only 11 committed.
With a disciplined yet high-pressure approach, Penn State won 76-68. A lot of players had solid performances, but it was an overall team effort as 10 players hit the court. All but one played double-digit minutes.
Penn State's all-time top recruit, guard Kayden Mingo, made his debut with 15 points and has been a crucial figurehead all season.
Game 2 - Penn State at New Haven
Penn State's first road game of the season took it to Connecticut to play a small school in New Haven. Just over 1,000 people attended for one of the Chargers' first Divison I matches.
In the David and Goliath-esque matchup, the titan prevailed easily. Penn State thumped New Haven 87-43.
It was, again, essentially a team approach for Penn State. The bench doing a lot of heavy lifting, including Dominick Stewart, who dropped a game-high 18 points in only 21 minutes, courtesy of registering six three-pointers.
Outside of Stewart, Penn State shot 29 percent from downtown in the contest, the only blemish on the outing. The Nittany Lions dominated the box score, posting favorable margins across virtually every statistic, underscoring the one-sided nature of the game.
New Haven will be a frequent opponent for Penn State in years to come, and is a part of a savvy business deal that appears to help both sides.
Game 3 - Penn State v. Navy
A return to Happy Valley against Navy resulted in a win, but it was a close one, despite Penn State being heavily favored. The blue and white ultimately triumphed 80-71.
Navy's down-low presence dominating the Nittany Lions, as two players reached double digits in rebounds. Forward Donovan Draper was one of them, who scored a game-high 22 points.
Penn State pulled ahead in the second half. Freddie Dilione V came off the bench and scored a team-high 19 while not turning the ball over. Three starters joined him in double-digit scoring: Mingo, Melih Tunca, and Josh Reed, who also had six steals.
Game 4 - Penn State v. La Salle (Neutral Site)
Philadelphia's Xifinity Mobile Arena, home of the 76ers, was the scene for the Battle on Broad between Penn State and La Salle. Young guard and star V.J. Edgecomb was in attendance to support his former high school teammate, Mingo.
With the stars in attendance to watch the freshman guard Mingo flourish, Tunca stole the spotlight. The Istanbul native scored a game-high 20 points, only missing shot all game. He contributed a perfect rate from three with four makes.
The blue and white won 83-69, but led by upwards of 21 points at times, marking it as another emphatic Penn State win.
Game 5 - Penn State v. Harvard
For the Nittany Lions' latest contest, freshman seven-footer Ivan Jurić, who had a strong start to the year, got his first collegiate start.
The Zagreb, Croatia native starred on the occasion, with his size added to the lineup, proving his useful presence on the court. Jurić finished with seven points on perfect shooting and a game-high nine rebounds.
Both Rhoades and Mingo sang the big man's praises post-game, noting his screening ability, which helps ease the defense off ball-handlers.
Penn State held on for a win, but even head coach Mike Rhoades called it an "ugly" game. The blue and white narrowly escaped a late scare from the Crimson, 84-80. The team sustained its first halftime deficit of the season.
The Nittany Lions continue their season Saturday with their first real test of the season as they head to Connecticut again for a neutral-site contest against Providence.
It'll be the first opponent of the season with a KenPom ranking comparable to Penn State's as it ramps up its nonconference slate before Big Ten play.