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game, and his departure made Brandon Taylor the team's most experienced re- turning player. At no point through his 8rst three seasons on campus had the Trenton, N.J., native demonstrated the type of ability or consistency to suggest he was ready for a turn as the program's leading man. But having missed two games due to a knee injury and spent a series of games coming o: the bench, Taylor was engaged in some personal re9ection, and he found his outlook changing. "Other than when I got here, I never came o: the bench," Taylor said. "I've al- ways started and always been one of the best players on my team. When I got hurt, it was really more of a humbling experience for me to see. That injury really opened my eyes to what's really important." Reports from the Nittany Lions' o:- season workouts backed up Taylor's as- sertions. He had been a gunner throughout his career, prone to hot and cold streaks from beyond the arc, but heading into the season, he was said to be passing up open shots in deference of teammates with even better looks. His lingering presence on the perimeter was also said to be changing, as he worked to develop his midrange game. The new approach was clearly evident in practice, but a question remained: Would Taylor's improvements carry over onto the hardwood during his senior year? With Penn State's conference season now well under way, that question has been answered de8nitively. In every single statistical category, Taylor has either al- ready surpassed or is on pace to outdo his totals from last season. Averaging roughly 32 minutes per game, he was leading the Nittany Lions in both points and rebounds with 16.4 and 6.1, respectively, through 19 games. But it's the manner in which Taylor has become so e:ective that has drawn so much attention. "He's really growing up. Evolved is a good word. He's completely transformed his game," Chambers said. "He's much more mature and has a mature approach. The game has slowed down for him. He's doing everything that he can to make this team successful on the 9oor and in the locker room, and he's putting the work in." With his physical improvement, a tot- al-body transformation that has been four years in the making, Taylor's game has moved inside. While he has continued to attempt his share of 3-point 8eld goals – he was averaging four tries per game as of mid-January, down from 8ve a season ago with fewer minutes – his knack for 8nding open looks closer to the basket has been completely re8ned. The result is a 8eld goal percentage that has increased from 37.1 to 44.1. In fact, Taylor had already eclipsed his total made 8eld goals from last season (109) just 19 games into the year with 48 fewer attempts. Maybe even more impressive, he has be- come a facilitator in the Lions' o:ense, as more and more defensive attention has followed his scoring success. In a recent victory at Northwestern, Taylor's stat line o:ered the most complete account of his evolution. Leading the Nit- tany Lions with 19 points, Taylor nailed four 3s while also distributing three key assists, blocking two shots and grabbing seven rebounds. "For my last year, I just wanted to go out there and pretty much just hoop. Pe- riod," said Taylor before the season's start. "Really, I just want to play ball. I want to be able to do everything. I want to be the Penn State true freshman guard Josh Reaves was diagnosed with mononucle- osis in mid-January and was not expect- ed to be back in action until the 8rst week of February at the earliest. Reaves did not travel with the team for its visit to Purdue on Jan. 13, a game that the Nittany Lions lost, 74-57. He had played in all 17 of Penn State's previous games, starting 14. Before being forced out of action, Reaves was playing 24.5 minutes per game and averaging 6.4 points. While not among the team's leading scorers, he was having a big impact on the defensive end of the 9oor, coach Patrick Chambers said. Heading into the Lions' visit to North- western on Jan. 16, Reaves' 22 steals were second only to Shep Garner's 23, and he had also accumulated 17 blocks and was averaging 3.9 rebounds per game, good for third on the team. Reaves' absence deprives the Lions of "speed, athleticism, defense," Chambers said. "That guy, he wreaked havoc out there. He's getting de9ections and sometimes some of those risks hurt us, but sometimes they really helped us, and he got breakaway dunks and easy bas- kets. We're not really getting any easy baskets o: our defense. "With him out, our foot speed is not what it was. So I've got to mask that and come up with di:erent ways to help our team get some turnovers and push the ball. With him not out there, you lose de9ections, you lose rebounds because he's so long. There are so many cate- gories that he 8lls that it really hurts." Of course, the Lions aren't the only ones hurting. Reaves was "disappointed and devastated" by the news, Chambers said. "He was coming along, he was playing good minutes, he was doing some great things, so obviously this is tough for him. He hasn't gone through this type of adversity in a while, so we've got to be there for him and help him out." Needing to pivot as the Nittany Lions prepared for at least three weeks with- out Reaves, Chambers said the team would seek increased production from reserve guard Isaiah Washington, fresh- man wing Davis Zemgulis and forward Julian Moore. Through 18 games, the three were combining to average 12.8 minutes and 3.4 points per game. "We've got to step up. Isaiah is very capable. He's very athletic," Chambers said. "He's got it in him, now he's just got to do it. "And Davis has just got to be a posi- tional guy where he just does solid things and rebounds. I want more from Julian, I want more from Jordan [Dicker- son] and Donovon [Jack], and if those guys can step up for us, it would be great." – N.B. Freshman Reaves out with illness

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