STATE COLLEGE | The starting point guard is an important position on Penn State men’s basketball coach Mike Rhoades' team. Star players like Ace Baldwin Jr. and Kayden Mingo have held the role in recent years under Rhoades.

Mingo was a standout freshman for Rhoades and the Nittany Lions last season but transferred to Baylor this offseason. In need of a new starting point guard, Rhoades added St. Bonaventure transfer Dasonte Bowen, who could be why Penn State can reach its potential this season.

Bowen was part of Rhoades’ roster makeover this offseason, which added 11 new players to the roster. With a much older and tougher roster than last season, the Nittany Lions should improve on their 12-20 record, including 3-17 in Big Ten play.

With more experienced players, expect Penn State to win more close games than it did last season, when it went 3-6 in Big Ten games decided by single digits. There also shouldn’t be eight losses by 20 points or more again.

Still, it’s going to be a tough climb to get out of the bottom of the Big Ten, and slow starts were an issue Penn State faced in its two recent exhibition games despite wins over St. Bonaventure and Drexel, two teams that are outside of KenPom’s top 175 preseason rankings. 

That said, the Nittany Lions’ easy non-conference schedule, which begins Monday against Canisius, will inflate their wins total. A prediction around 16-16 overall and 6-14 in Big Ten play sounds reasonable, but the ceiling could get to nearly 10 conference wins if everything goes right.

Here’s what to know about Penn State’s 2026-27 season, including how to watch the opening game.

How to watch Penn State vs. Canisius

24 HOURS. BRING THE ENERGY TO THE BJC. ⚡️😤#WeAre pic.twitter.com/il9nBCtN96

— Penn State Men’s Basketball (@PennStateMBB) November 2, 2026

The Nittany Lions open the 2026-27 campaign Monday against Canisius at the Bryce Jordan Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, with the game being streamed on B1G+. Rocco Pellegrino and Alex Harkins will have the call.

Can’t watch? Listen to Steve Jones and Dick Jerardi on the Penn State Sports Network radio broadcast. Their call can be heard on SiriusXM channel 380.

Why Dasonte Bowen is Penn State’s ceiling

Rhoades was a point guard when he played basketball at Lebanon Valley College. He preaches the same values he learned to his current point guards, and Bowen seems like a great fit.

“He knows exactly what it takes to win, and he's a tough-nosed guy, and I'm the same way,” Bowen said. “I grew up that way since grassroots basketball. I've always been a defensive-minded guy, trying to bring that toughness every time I step foot out here, and he preaches the same value.”

Penn State has a proven center in Ivan Jurić. It has shooting potential with transfer additions Brant Byers and Roberts Blums, who both shot over 39 percent from 3-point range last season. Bowen, who averaged 4.8 assists per game in 2025-26, could be the reason this offense can work well together as the main facilitator.

Roko Prkačin could be Penn State’s best player

It can’t be overstated just how important it was for Penn State that the NCAA ruled forward Roko Prkačin eligible for the season. Prkačin will have only one year of eligibility but will be a key player this season.

Prkačin, 23, has played professionally overseas since the 2020-21 season. He’s a true power forward, which the Nittany Lions haven’t had in a while and should pair well with Jurić in the frontcourt.

Importantly, Prkačin (6-8, 230 pounds) is the favorite to lead Penn State in rebounding this season. Rebounding was one of the main issues with last season’s team along with lack of experience, but Prkačin helps fix both of those aspects.

Thomas Allard was the surprise of the offseason

Guard Thomas Allard played at the Division II level for four seasons before transferring to Penn State, but he could be more than just a bench piece this season. Allard took on a starting role in the two exhibition games.

“Those skills that I had at the Division II level, they're translatable here,” Allard said. “Just have to pick up the physicality, pick up the mental toughness, all that comes with this jump to this level.”

Rhoades likes Allard’s ability to play basketball without making mistakes, and he thinks Allard doesn’t try to be someone he isn’t. Allard can shoot the ball well, knocking down 4-of-5 3-pointers in the St. Bonaventure win, so expect him to continue to see sizable minutes this year.

Ivan Jurić grows this season

Last season, Jurić had to go through a Big Ten schedule as a freshman. Rhoades has commended Jurić for his ability to play well even though he was going up against older players, averaging 10.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

He now knows what it takes to win in the Big Ten, and with a year of experience under his belt, he seems primed for another step forward in his development. 

“It's the little things that win games,” Jurić said. “Every team can beat every other team. I would say, like getting the 50-50 balls, just diving on the floor. It's those little things that literally separate the difference.”

Lack of depth will cause issues

Rhoades mentioned he doesn’t have as much depth as other teams in the Big Ten. This will most likely be a main reason why things go wrong if the Nittany Lions’ season goes south.

In 2024-25, Penn State had a similar roster as this year’s team, with a core of five veteran players plus future NBA draft pick Yanic Konan Niederhauser but little depth after them. After the Purdue upset win, the Nittany Lions were on the NCAA Tournament bubble, but injuries to key players like Baldwin and forward Puff Johnson helped derail the season.

It’s going to be important that this season’s team stays healthy. There’s not much room for error in Penn State’s NIL budget, so a key player having to sit on the sidelines would be costly.