Penn State basketball: Mike Rhoades turning heads with year one coaching performance

After a bumpy start to 2024, Penn State basketball appears to be hitting its stride heading into February. Fresh off a ten-point win Thursday night, the Nittany Lions take their three-game winning streak back on the road to Northwestern on Sunday. As Penn State looks to finish Big Ten play on a high note, the coaching performance of Mike Rhoades is starting to turn heads around the conference. After the Nittany Lions’ most recent win, Big Ten Network analyst Robbie Hummel praised Rhoades’ efforts in year one, calling it one of the most impressive coaching performances of the season.

Robbie Hummel: Mike Rhoades has done a “phenomenal job” with Penn State basketball in year one

It’s been an impressive turnaround for Penn State basketball after losing five of its first seven games in January. The Nittany Lions have now won three in a row by double digits, including impressive road wins at Rutgers and Indiana last week.

Now coming into his own in conference play, the spotlight has shifted to Mike Rhoades and how he has built this Penn State roster from the ground up in his first year in Happy Valley. Rhoades has led the Nittany Lions to their best start in the Big Ten since the 2019-20 season, and the best start by a first-year head coach since 1995-96.

Following Penn State’s most recent win over Iowa on Thursday night, Big Ten Network analyst and former Purdue star Robbie Hummel praised what Rhoades has done in year one.

“Mike Rhoades has done a phenomenal job,” Hummel said. “This really is one of the more impressive coaching jobs in this conference this season.”

Tough test ahead

Mike Rhoades and Penn State basketball still have plenty of opportunities to prove themselves this season, starting Sunday in Evanston. Northwestern comes into the matchup sitting at No. 55 in the most recent NET rankings, making the game a Quad 1 win opportunity, the first of four such matchups in a row for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State fell to the Wildcats 76-72 after blowing a ten-point lead at home on January 10, part of the team’s early January losing streak. To come out victorious this time, the Nittany Lions will look to lean on its turnover margin, which ranks No. 8 nationally. Scoring off turnovers has helped propel Penn State to 76.5 points per game, the best for a first-year head coach since the 1954-55 season. 

Guard Ace Baldwin will look to continue his own personal hot streak, scoring at least 20 points in the last two contests. Baldwin should expect to have help in the backcourt from leading scorer Kayne Clary, coming off the bench Thursday night after missing the previous two games with an injury. 

Tipoff with Northwestern is set for 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

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