Penn State basketball transfer portal loss commits to Ohio State

Today, some shocking news came the Nittany Lions’ way as Penn State basketball transfer portal loss Evan Mahaffey announced that he has committed to the Ohio State University. After Micah Shrewsberry left following Penn State’s historical 2022-23 season, Mahaffey hit the portal; Mike Rhoades likely did his best to keep him in State College, though now the former Nittany Lion is heading to Columbus.

First, I would like to thank God for this opportunity. Second, I want to thank Penn State and the amazing people that made my freshman year great! With that being said, I have decided to further my academic and athletic career at The Ohio State University! #BuckeyeNation ‼️ pic.twitter.com/gVtlJBZ9Bs

— Evan Mahaffey (@EvanMahaffey5) May 3, 2023

Penn State basketball transfer portal loss Evan Mahaffey commits to Ohio State

Evan Mahaffey did not see a ton of game action with the Penn State basketball team last year, though he made an impact in a few key games and was one of the most talented players on the team as a rising star. Now, the former four-star Nittany Lion is Columbus bound to play against his former team.

Although his freshman season numbers of 2.8 points per game and 1.7 rebounds per game may not seem impressive, Mahaffey’s contribution to the Nittany Lions as a critical bench player cannot be underestimated. He played for an average of 9.3 minutes per game and his height of 6-6 made him versatile as both a guard and a forward, using his size advantage to drive to the basket.

Furthermore, Mahaffey was known as one of the best rebounders on the Penn State basketball team, which was evident in his possession-saving rebound during overtime against Northwestern. This rebound proved pivotal in keeping the team’s NCAA tournament bid alive.

The sky appeared to be the limit for Mahaffey, though his play style was not really working with the rough Big Ten basketball style last year; still, this loss hurts for Penn State fans since he is heading to a rival school.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!