Honestly, if you've been following the Penn State Nittany Lions basketball roster lately, you know it's basically been a revolving door. One day you’re getting used to a starting five, and the next, half the team is in the training room or the transfer portal. It’s chaotic. It’s stressful. But for the die-hards in Happy Valley, it’s also weirdly exciting.
Coach Mike Rhoades is currently in his third year, and man, has he had his work cut out for him. We’re sitting here in January 2026, and the team is navigating a Big Ten gauntlet that feels more like a survival test than a conference schedule.
The 2025-26 Penn State Nittany Lions Basketball Roster Breakdown
Let’s look at who’s actually putting on the jersey right now. The roster is a strange mix of high-ceiling freshmen and gritty veterans who survived the transition years.
The Backcourt Spark Plugs
Everything basically starts and ends with the guards. Kayden Mingo, the freshman phenom out of Farmingdale, New York, has been the story of the season. He wasn't just "good for a freshman"—he was leading the team in points (14.9), assists (4.5), and steals (2.5) before a brutal broken nose in practice sidelined him. It's the kind of injury that just makes you put your head in your hands.
Then you have Freddie Dilione V. He’s a redshirt junior who transferred in from Tennessee and immediately became the emotional heartbeat of this squad. Before an ankle injury against UCLA slowed him down, he was neck-and-neck with Mingo for the scoring lead, averaging about 15 points per game.
👉 See also: What Really Happened With Nick Chubb: The Injury, The Recovery, and The Houston Twist
Here is the core rotation as it stands:
- Kayden Mingo (Fr. | G | 6-3): The primary playmaker. Currently recovering from surgery.
- Freddie Dilione V (R-Jr. | G | 6-5): The scoring wing. He’s the guy Rhoades leans on when things get stagnant.
- Melih Tunca (Fr. | G | 6-5): A sharp-shooter from Istanbul. He’s stepped up big time with the injury bug hitting the starters, averaging double digits.
- Josh Reed (Sr. | G | 6-7): The "glue guy" from Atlanta. He does the dirty work, rebounds, and shoots nearly 88% from the free-throw line.
- Dominick Stewart (So. | G | 6-5): A rotational piece that provides some much-needed defensive length.
The Big Men in the Middle
Losing Yanic Konan Niederhauser to the first round of the NBA Draft (shoutout to the L.A. Clippers) left a massive hole in the paint. Rhoades tried to fill it with a committee approach. Ivan Jurić, a 7-foot freshman from Croatia, has been the most consistent of the bunch. He’s shooting 56% from the floor and grabbing over 4 rebounds a game.
Then there’s Tibor Mirtic. He’s a 6-9 freshman from Slovenia who was just starting to find his rhythm before a knee injury against Michigan took him out. It’s tough. You see these kids starting to "get it," and then they’re on crutches.
Dealing with the "Injury Bug"
It’s the phrase every Penn State fan hates right now. As of mid-January 2026, the Nittany Lions are basically playing with a shorthanded deck.
Rhoades recently mentioned that Mingo would be out for "a while," which is a dagger to the heart of the offense. Without him, the ball movement just isn't the same. The team has struggled in Big Ten play, dropping early games to ranked opponents like Michigan and Purdue.
✨ Don't miss: Men's Sophie Cunningham Jersey: Why This Specific Kit is Selling Out Everywhere
But there’s hope. Rhoades is all about "the juice." He’s adamant that even when the results aren't there, the culture is building. He’s not beating the players down; he’s trying to build them up. It’s a next-man-up mentality, which sounds like a cliché until you see a guy like Melih Tunca playing 30 minutes a night and carrying the load.
The Transfer Portal Chaos
We have to talk about Puff Johnson. In a move that felt like a punch to the gut for some, Johnson recently headed to Ohio State after a legal battle involving a restraining order that made him immediately eligible. Losing a guy who averaged 10.2 points last season to a conference rival? That’s Big Ten basketball in 2026. It’s business, but it still stings.
On the flip side, the roster has been bolstered by guys like Eli Rice and Sasa Ciani. Rice, a 6-7 junior, has been a reliable threat from deep, hitting over 46% of his threes. When he’s hot, the Bryce Jordan Center actually starts to feel like a home-court advantage.
Why the Penn State Nittany Lions Basketball Roster Still Matters
You might look at the 9-7 record and the winless start in the Big Ten and think the season is over. It isn't.
This team has a "kill or be killed" defensive identity. They rank high in the conference in steals and they force nearly 13 turnovers a game. They’re scrappy. They’re annoying to play against. If they can just get healthy by February, they could be the "team nobody wants to play" in the Big Ten Tournament.
🔗 Read more: Why Netball Girls Sri Lanka Are Quietly Dominating Asian Sports
The reality is that Rhoades is recruiting differently. He’s looking for length and versatility. Look at the roster—almost everyone is between 6-5 and 6-9. That allows them to switch everything on defense, which is the modern blueprint for success.
Real Talk: The Challenges Ahead
The biggest issue right now isn't effort; it's depth and size. When Jurić is on the bench, the Nittany Lions get bullied on the glass. They’re currently being outrebounded by a margin of about 2.1 per game. In a league with Big Ten centers who look like NFL offensive linemen, that’s a problem.
Also, the three-point shooting is... inconsistent. As a team, they’re hovering around 32-33%. That’s not going to cut it when you’re playing from behind.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking this team for the rest of the 2026 season, here is what you need to watch for:
- Monitor the Training Room: The return dates for Kayden Mingo and Freddie Dilione V will determine if this team makes the NIT or stays home.
- Watch Melih Tunca’s Usage: He’s the X-factor. If he continues to develop as a secondary playmaker, the offense becomes much harder to scout.
- Identify the Transfer Strategy: With the portal opening back up soon, expect Rhoades to hunt for a veteran rim protector. The "Niederhauser effect" showed how much a dominant big man changes the ceiling of this program.
- Check the Home/Road Splits: The Nittany Lions have remained tough at the Bryce Jordan Center. If you're betting or analyzing, look for them to cover spreads at home, even against ranked teams.
The Penn State Nittany Lions basketball roster is a work in progress, but the foundation of "Ace" basketball is clearly there. It’s about surviving the injuries and finding enough "juice" to pull off a few upsets before the season wraps up.