Mike Rhoades believes Michigan State has best culture in Big Ten

Wednesday night in Happy Valley had two programs at completely different points. Mike Rhoades is in his first season with Penn State, trying to hit the ground running. Over at Michigan State, Tom Izzo is in his 29th year with the Spartans and has been the leader of one of the Big Ten’s best teams throughout the years.

Michigan State was able to come out with a win and Rhoades believed the overall culture played a huge factor. He called it the best in the entire conference, saying a ton considering some of the head coaches the Big Ten has to offer. Rhoades wants Penn State to get there one day eventually.

“We got beat today by a team with a culture,” Rhoades said. “Period. And it’s a well-established culture as well all know about it. It’s probably the best in the Big Ten. That’s where we got to get someday, that’s what we got to emulate.”

Going on the road and having early success is not easy, no matter where you play. But Michigan State came out firing against Penn State and wound up scoring 45 points in the first half. The lead heading into the locker room was 14 points, not an easy task vs. an Izzo-led ballclub.

Rhoades says giving Michigan State juice early in the game was the biggest mistake. Once Penn State settled in and started to play well, it was too little, too late. The Spartans held on and earned their fourth win in the last five games.

“Not enough juice in the first half,” Rhoades said. “Flat. Stood around too much. Turnovers that led to easy baskets, transition baskets. You give a team on the road confidence and easy baskets, it gets them going. And it got them going. We had fight in the second half, not enough. Too far behind.”

Penn State has not had an easy season and Wednesday’s loss moved them under .500. Barring a run in the Big Ten Tournament to a championship, an NCAA Tournament bid is likely not coming to Happy Valley in March. Inconsistency in conference play has been a killer for the Nittany Lions.

Rhoades is in just Year One but is hoping to get to the level of Izzo and Michigan State one day. Hopefully, another two decades will not pass before reaching his goal. But progress will be made over the coming years.