Penn State Basketball Picked to Finish Last in Big Ten Preseason Media Poll

The preseason predictions are out — and they’re not showing much love for Penn State basketball. In the unofficial Big Ten media poll conducted by the Columbus Dispatch and Indianapolis Star, the Nittany Lions were picked to finish 18th — dead last — in the conference.

Penn State earned just 43 total points, coming in behind Rutgers (54 points). At the top, Purdue was the clear favorite with 25 of 28 first-place votes, while Michigan got the other three.

It’s no secret that this is a rebuilding year in Happy Valley. The Lions return only three players from last season and have reloaded through the transfer portal and international additions under head coach Mike Rhoades.

Still, being picked last could be the kind of motivation this team needs. There’s no pressure, no spotlight — just a chance to prove people wrong.

Penn State fans have seen this before. Low expectations often lead to big surprises if the chemistry clicks and the effort stays consistent.

Bottom line:

• The Big Ten is stacked, and every night will be a grind.

• Penn State’s newcomers will need to gel fast.

• If Rhoades’ system takes hold, the Nittany Lions can absolutely outperform this ranking.

For now, the polls say “last.” The season will tell the real story.