After a horrible season, Mike Rhoades is already looking ahead at what needs to change for Penn State basketball moving forward. Following the team’s appearance in the Big Ten Tournament, losing to Northwestern, Rhoades spoke about the lessons learned this year and what he believes the program needs to prioritize if it hopes to compete more consistently in the Big Ten.
For Rhoades, one of the biggest takeaways from the season was the importance of experience. The Nittany Lions had a very young roster throughout the year, often facing opponents loaded with veteran players who had multiple seasons of college basketball under their belts. In a conference as physical and competitive as the Big Ten, that difference can quickly become noticeable.
However, Rhoades going the young route is only on him; no one else.
“You've got to be old,” Rhoades said in Chicago, per Nittany Lions Wire. “You've got to be old, because everybody else is. The best teams in our league and the best teams in the country are old and experienced. We've got to address some of that.”
With the transfer portal playing a significant role in roster construction and players having the ability to stay in school longer, many of the top programs across the country are relying on experienced lineups filled with juniors, seniors, and graduate players. Some of them are 22-plus years old.
For Penn State, that means finding ways to bring more maturity and experience to the roster this spring and summer. That should come through recruiting older prospects and using the transfer portal to add proven talent that can help immediately.
Despite the frustrations of the season, Rhoades also made it known that he remains committed to evaluating every part of the program to improve moving forward. Rhoades said self-reflection is something he regularly emphasizes as part of his program.
“I always re-evaluate everything I do and what we do in the program, and I'll do that again,” Rhoades said. “I know that works. It's been a tough stretch.”
Penn State needs to flush this season down the drain and find a way to get back on track next year.