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general duties while Frazier soaks up some much-needed bench minutes this season. But if Chambers' high praise for Woodward's shooting is any indication, the 6foot-0, 170-pounder's primary role with the Nittany Lions this season will be that of a hired gun. "I don't want to pigeonhole him… but he's like Jordan Hulls," Chambers said, referring to the former Indiana guard. "He hits shots. I don't know how he makes them." The level of competition may have changed, but many of the other facets of Woodward's game have remained constant since he began lighting up scoreboards throughout the Minneapolis area as a star guard at Edina High. Averaging 26.5 points, 5.5 assists, four rebounds and three steals per game, he was named a Minnesota Mr. Basketball finalist his senior season and earned a spot on the first-team Associated Press All-State squad. He called himself a general scorer during the early part of his career at Edina, but his focus shifted slightly when he began working to perfect an already accurate shot. "I've been able to hit shots for most of my career, and I think it's just gotten that much better, just from working on it out here at Penn State as well as my senior year and throughout my high school career," he said, noting that the Nittany Lions' coaching staff has yet to make changes to his shooting technique. "I feel like I've been working on my shooting very hard the past year or so, just knowing that would be a major role for me on this team, being able to hit shots. I'm comfortable with whatever's asked of me, shooting, ball-handling, courtawareness. I'm going to do whatever the team needs." What the Nittany Lions need is perimeter shooting. They finished 289th in the country last season in 3-point shooting percentage, hitting only 29.6 percent of their attempts. Woodward appears fully capable of helping them address that deficiency, and he also gives the team an another option at point guard on nights when either Frazier or Newbill gets into foul trouble. The other asset he brings is a bit more intangible, a sense of confidence that's been lacking in recent years. Said Chambers, "When we recruited him, we knew he was a tough kid. We knew he could make shots. But he's a gym rat. His work ethic is off the charts. And he's got – how do I clean this up? – he's got courage. He's very brave. "He's a confident young man, and we need that swagger, that toughness. He's fearless when he gets on the floor. He elevates our team, and the guys love playing with him. It's really important." Just minutes after his Nittany Lions had defeated Northwood, 98-61, Frazier sat next to Woodward at the podium of the Bryce Jordan Center's media room. Listening to the true freshman uneasily work his way through the inane questions and answers of his first news conference, Frazier looked on, smiling like a painter admiring his own work. "I'm proud of this guy, the senior point " guard said. "He played well today, and if he can continue to do that throughout the I year, he's going to be a great player. " Penn State signs two guards Penn State bolstered its backcourt during the early signing period, as guards Shep Garner of Philadelphia and Isaiah Washington of Williamsport, Pa., signed national letters of intent with the Nittany Lions. They will begin their careers in the 2014-15 season. Garner is a 6-foot-2, 180-pounder who ran the point for both his high school team, Roman Catholic, and Team Final during AAU play. Nike EYBL Finals advanced to the semifinals of the Peach Jam with the help of Garner's 8.7 points, 5.5 assists and four rebounds per game. "Shep is a tough-nosed guard who is used to competing at a high level," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers said. "He GARNER will bring a winner's attitude to our program, along with his ability to lead, run a team and knock down shots." Washington, a 6-3, 180-pound combo guard, was an integral member of the 2012-13 Williamsport team that finished 23-3 with a district title. He has started each of the past three seasons, averaging 16.6 points per game as a junior. A former AAU teammate of Penn State freshman Julian Moore, Washington spent the past several seasons with We WASHINGTON R 1. Washington is a 4.0 student who is looking to major in nursing at Penn State. "Isaiah is an elite-level athlete who can do it all," Chambers said. "He can really shoot the ball, as well as fill the lanes for some big-time finishes. He plays with high energy, and we are looking forward to his athleticism and toughness on the defensive end." The Pennsylvania-bred duo could bring the number of in-state players on the Nittany Lions' roster to eight next season, with six recruited by Chambers and his staff since taking over in 2011.

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