BREAKING: Leading scorer Kanye Clary no longer with Penn State basketball program

Penn State basketball is looking to get out of a mid-February slump, but it will now have to do so without the team’s leading scorer. Monday afternoon, Nittany Lions head coach Mike Rhoades announced that guard Kanye Clary is no longer with the program. Clary had been a bright spot for Penn State for much of the season, but has faded from the stat sheet over the last month after suffering an injury.

Mike Rhoades: “Coach’s decision” made that Kayne Clary is no longer with Penn State basketball program

Mike Rhoades raised some eyebrows after Saturday’s 68-49 loss to Nebraska, noting that star guard Kanye Clary did not travel with the team. Clary was cited as “out” this weekend on the team’s availability report to the Big Ten, but the Nittany Lions head coach did not clarify a reason for the absence.

On Monday, we learned that Penn State’s leading scorer has likely played his last game in the Blue and White. Citing a coach’s decision, Mike Rhoades shared with the media that Kayne Clary is no longer with the program.

“Kanye is no longer with the team,” Rhoades stated. “Coach’s decision. We’re going to keep moving forward on the guys we got, the task at hand. It came to a point where we’re at that I made the decision as the head coach to move on. I’ll leave it at that.”

Rhoades declined to provide any additional information when asked to comment further.

Kayne Clary led all Nittany Lions this season, averaging nearly 17 points per game. The guard also averaged nearly three assists and three rebounds in 23 games this season, including 20 starts.

Over the last month, Penn State’s leading scorer Kayne Clary has all but disappeared from the stat sheet for the Nittany Lions. Injured in the loss against Minnesota on January 27, Clary missed a pair of road wins versus Rutgers and Indiana.

The Penn State basketball star has played sparingly since his return on February 8. Playing an average of 18 minutes, Clary has 16 points and nine assists coming off the bench in three games. 

What’s next?

While Kayne Clary hasn’t factored much into the game plan over the last several weeks, the timing couldn’t be worse for Penn State basketball. The Nittany Lions square off with No. 14 Illinois in a return to Rec Hall Wednesday, before hosting Indiana in the Bryce Jordan Center on Saturday.

After going on a short winning streak, Penn State has dropped three games in a row. The Nittany Lions are 6-9 in Big Ten play, 12-14 overall. Rhoades and Penn State have five more games remaining in the regular season before the Big Ten Tournament.

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