Blue White Illustrated

| eviewing 7lm of Penn State's mid- week practices leading into a Feb- ruary tilt at Nebraska, head coach Patrick Chambers sat in awe of one of his Nittany Lions. Play. Pause. Rewind. Repeat. Outstanding o9 ball screens, the guard slashed through defenders, dishing to teammates for easy scores when he wasn't 7nishing his own elite-level plays. "He was dominant," Chambers said. "I don't use that word very o:en, but he was in- credible. He was all over the 8oor." The player was redshirt sophomore point guard Terrence Samuel, a transfer from Connecticut. Eager to play a bigger role than he expected to play with the Huskies, Samuel saw an opportunity to be part of Penn State's rebuilding e9ort and enrolled last summer. He had done something similar at his high school in Brooklyn, N.Y., helping turn an 0-14 South Shore program into a playo9 mainstay. Given that he already had a relationship with Penn State assistant coach Keith Urgo that dated back to Urgo's tenure at Villanova, the 7t was right. What neither side could have predicted is just how well the marriage would work from the outset. A defensive-minded, gritty guard, Samuel had played an integral role for the Huskies coming o9 the bench as a true freshman during their 2013-14 national championship run. His stats weren't eye- popping, as he averaged 4.5 points per game in the NCAA tournament with a ca- reer-high 11 in a third-round victory against Villanova, but Samuel's overall production and e9ort on both ends of the 8oor were undeniable. For a Penn State program that has en- joyed a run of individual standouts, most recently D.J. Newbill and Tim Frazier, Samuel's arrival in June came at exactly the right time. At practices, Samuel di- rects the point for the scout team, often imitating the tendencies of future op- ponents' best players. Challenging the Nittany Lions' starting guards, Samuel has simultaneously helped lift the play of his scout teammates while building his own game. Said Chambers, "He's making us better. He's making the first string better, then he's making everyone around him better, and then also, he's found his own shot. He's got a real good feel right now." Samuel, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, said much of his success in acclimating to Penn State can be attributed to the relationships he's forged. Bolstered by his close ties with Urgo, he has devel- oped a level of con7dence that he never quite had while in Storrs. "Before going to college, I was making shots. But when I got to college, I just lost my con7dence with my shot," Samuel said. "I'm not going to say I lost my con- 7dence; I just knew if I made a mistake, I would come out of the games. I didn't want to shoot and miss." At Penn State, the approach is di9erent. Playing time is partitioned on the basis of e9ort, not makes and misses, and Samuel has found that mentality liberating. "That's why I'm here," he said. "I'm shoot- ing like 34 or 35 percent from three in practice. I'm just happy I can play my game. That's what I really like about these guys here." Unfortunately for Chambers and the Nittany Lions, NCAA transfer rules mean that the spectacular practice performances and consistent improvement on the 8oor aren't going to translate into game action this season. Chambers has lamented Samuel's forced absence, but any frustra- tion is counterbalanced by the excitement about his potential impact next season. In the locker room, in fact, it's already taken place. Saying that Samuel has done a great job as a leader with the Nittany Lions, Cham- MEN'S BASKETBALL THE RIGHT FIT R He may be sitting out, but transfer Terrence Samuel is already helping PSU TERRENCE SAMUEL PSU GUARD I'm shooting 34 or 35 percent from three in practice. I'm just happy I can play my game. That's what I really like about these guys here." " Penn State Athletics

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