Penn State Basketball: Woodyard’s Up-and-Down Career Coming to Close

Few Penn State basketball players have seen a career punctuated by as many ups and downs as senior guard Cam Woodyard.

From winning an National Invitation Tournament title his freshman year at Madison Square Garden, to losing 12-straight games the following season, Woodyard has reached the final chapter of a long career that included an NCAA appearance by the Nittany Lions last season.

‘These games mean a lot — they’re the last couple games that are guaranteed to me until we get into the Big Ten Tournament,’ said Woodyard, from Westminster Md., who is a cousin of former Nittany Lion football standout and New York Jet Richie Anderson and whose father played college basketball at Mount Saint Mary’s.

Woodyard, 6-feet-5 and 210 pounds, averaged just 1.8 points per game a year ago, but that number has climbed to 8.7 points in 17 starts this year for Penn State (12-16, 4-11 Big Ten), which plays Northwestern at 9 Saturday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.

‘In his defense, and I’m not into making excuses, he really hasn’t played, so experience wise, he’s probably a sophomore,’ first-year coach Pat Chambers said.

‘He’s playing harder than he ever has. He’s playing so hard right now.’

Heading into Penn State’s matchup with the Wildcats, Woodyard will be shooting for his 12th game in double figures at home this season.

‘I gotta come out and really play every possession like it’s my last.’ Woodyard said.