Penn State basketball hosted media day Monday afternoon less than a week before the season opener against Saint Francis. Head coach Patrick Chambers addressed the media, discussing a variety of topics as the program heads into its second season with Chambers at the helm.
The Nittany Lions are looking to improve on a 12-20 season, and with the addition of transfer guard DJ Newbill playing alongside All-Big Ten guard Tim Frazier, that looks to be an obtainable goal.
Here are just a few notes from the press conference:
Season goals: “We’re shooting for creating the best habits that we can every single day, and being as consistent as we can with our effort and our attitude,” Chambers said. “I thought we got the most we could out of the team last year, I think this team is more talented, and hopefully, for me, for Tim and the rest of the seniors and the team that means more wins.”
Injuries: “Jermaine Marshall had a bit of a hamstring pull during the game on Saturday, that’s why I sat him. We need a healthy Jermaine Marshall.”
Chambers went on to say that he feels the light really came on for Marshall as he tackled a difficult class [Stat 200] this summer, and that Marshall learned what it takes to succeed off and on the court by overcoming that adversity.
Getting Fans to the Bryce Jordan Center: “I hope the fans come out because I’m building a relationship with them, they have to get to know you, I’ve been in the HUB shaking hands, and the team has been there too, so now we have to win some games.
“I’ve tried almost everything I can possibly think of to drum up support,” said Chambers. “I handed out Big Macs, I taught classes, I’ve done pep rallies, I’ve done almost everything anyone has asked me to do.’
Tim Frazier and his leadership: “I say this to him every day, ‘Leaders don’t have a day off, they don’t have any minutes off. Eyes are always on you.’ He’s grown leaps and bounds from where he was last year. His body language is better, facial expressions. I let him run a huddle the other day, I’m doing the little things to challenge him. There is still room for him but he’s getting better. In turn he’ll get better as a player.”
Starting rotation: “It isn’t set in stone yet,” Chambers said, but he hopes to use the same starting five each game with a set rotation of players. Last season Chambers used up to 20 different combinations for a starting five.
