Rhoades: Penn State transfer guard to miss rest of season with injury

Penn State basketball suffered an early setback in its backcourt as the first month of the season came to a close last week. On Friday, Nittany Lions head coach Mike Rhoades announced that sophomore guard Eli Rice will miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season with an undisclosed injury.

“I do want to announce that Eli Rice will be out for the rest of the season with an injury,” Rhoades told reporters. “As you guys know, Penn State policy is to not discuss specifics related to his injury, but I did want to let you guys know that he’ll be out for the remainder of this season.

“So, my No. 1 priority with Eli is his health and his wellness and safety. 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 [percent], and he’s going to be an important part of moving forward here. So I want to get him healthy. [I] met with his parents and all that over the weekend to make sure that we do this all the right way, and our attention’s on his health and getting him back to 100.”

Rice has been dealing with a recurring injury throughout the beginning of the season. He appeared in one game for Penn State basketball this year, grabbing two defensive rebounds and going 0-2 from the field in seven minutes played.

© Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Transferring to the Nittany Lions from Nebraska in the spring, Rice averaged 4.2 points and 1.6 rebounds a game as a freshman. The Gallatin, Tennessee, native was a three-star prospect out of IMG Academy (FL) in the 2023 cycle.

Want to stay informed on all the latest news in Penn State athletics? Subscribe to the free Basic Blues Nation newsletter for breaking news, videos, and editorials sent directly to your inbox!

“I mean, you know, as a coach and a coaching staff and a program, a team, you go through stuff like this all the time,” Mike Rhoades continued. “It’s not the first time it’s happened. It won’t be the last. As a coach and I’m a parent, it breaks your heart to see a kid work so hard and work so hard to try to get back with his teammates and it just doesn’t happen. He’s bummed out. His family’s bummed out. We’re bummed out. His teammates are bummed out.

“But the No. 1 thing that I’m always going to pride ourselves on and do it the right way is we’re always going to put the player’s safety and health first. That’s just how I am. I’ve been like that for over 28 years, that I want these guys to be healthy and safe and happy. And when you’re dealing with injuries and can’t figure them out, unfortunately, stuff like this happens. But we’re going to be here for him, and he’s an awesome kid from a great family, and the kid loves basketball, and he’s a hard worker.

“The emotions will settle here, and it’s all about getting better. It’s all about getting him healthy so he can get back on the court and help Penn State win basketball games.”

Dropping its first game of the season to Clemson in the final round of the Sunshine Slam last Tuesday, Penn State basketball rebounded with an 87-64 victory over Buffalo on Sunday.

Rhoades and the Nittany Lions will open Big Ten play against the No. 8 Purdue Boilermakers inside the Bryce Jordan Center on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on FS1.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on social media.