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Nittany Lions look for improvement in Patrick Chambers' second season MOVING UP SEASON PREVIEW LAST SEASON Coming off the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade, Penn State went 12-20 last sea- son. But while their record suggested the Nittany Lions took a big step backward, first-year head coach Patrick Chambers was encouraged by the team's performance. Penn State had lost Talor Battle, Jeff Brooks, D.J. Jackson and Andrew Jones to graduation, but Chambers and then- junior point guard Tim Frazier man- aged to actually exceed expectations. Said the coach, "I felt like last year, even though we were 12-20, we were the best team we could be. We got so much out of that team." RETURNING STARTERS Plagued by a rash of injuries and inexperience, the Nit- tany Lions never had a consistent starting lineup last season. Then in the off-season, Billy Oliver hung up his sneaks due to frequent concus- sion concerns, Cammeron Woodyard graduated, and both Trey Lewis and Matt Glover transferred out of the program. That leaves Frazier, shoot- ing guard Jermaine Marshall, wing Ross Travis and forward Jon Graham as the key returning contributors. Frazier was, without question, the key to the Lions' success last season. He finished second in the conference in scoring with 18.8 points per game and was first in assists (6.2 per game) and second in steals (2.4). In the process, he set a Penn State sin- gle-season record for assists. After a slow start, Marshall finished second on the team with 10.8 points per game. NEWCOMERS A year ago, Southern Mis- sissippi transfer D.J. Newbill was the Porsche in Chambers' garage. The Li- ons would have loved to use him, but he was barred from seeing action due to NCAA transfer rules. Well, the BACK IN THE SADDLE Chambers guided an in- experienced squad to 12 wins in his first season at PSU. Tim Owen garage door is finally open, and New- bill's impact is expected to be imme- diate. He is capable of playing either guard spot, depending on how Chambers wants to use him, and can shoot, drive, dish and score at will. He was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team two years ago and is only expected to get better this season. True freshmen joining the team include forwards Donovan Jack and Brandon Taylor, plus wing man Akosa Maduegbunam. BACKCOURT Last spring, Chambers told reporters at his postseason news conference that he expected to have the best backcourt in the country this season. Frazier, a Naismith Award Watch List member, certainly is deserving of attention, but the coach's comments say plenty about Newbill, too. With those two players in the starting lineup, the Nittany Li- ons have exceptional ball-handling, shooting, driving, passing and scor- ing capabilities. Of course, they will need help. Marshall, coming off a breakout toward the end of the 2011- 12 campaign, is said to have gotten much better in the off-season. Whether he is ready to become the consistent 3-point threat the Nittany Lions desperately need remains to be seen. FRONTCOURT This is the biggest ques- tion mark for Chambers entering the season. Although Pat Ackerman and Brandon Taylor are both expected to contribute as forwards, the duo of Jon Graham and Sasa Borovnjak are the Nittany Lions' best options in the frontcourt. That said, Chambers' ex- pectations for the pair do not suggest that they will be counted on to make an especially big impact. "If they can get us a double-double every game, I would be extremely happy. … They are going to be challenged. They are going against lottery picks, top draft picks, and they need to continue to work hard and think, 'We are the best picks. We are the dynamite duo.' " SCHEDULE The Big Ten is projected to be the toughest conference in college basketball this season. The league has more than one legitimate nation- al championship contender. The non- conference schedule features one marquee opponent in North Carolina State, but many winnable games oth- erwise, highlighted by a key matchup with Bucknell in late November. OUTLOOK The Nittany Lions won't ap- pear among the Big Ten's mix of championship contenders, but a middle-of-the-pack finish is a possi- bility and would constitute signifi- cant progress. The Lions will need a near-miracle to earn an NCAA Tour- nament berth, but a shot at the NIT is within reach for Frazier's senior season. Chambers declined to lay out specific expectations in the pre- season, but he said he believes that more victories are likely this season. "I do think this team is more talent- ed," he said. "I think we can get more. Does that mean more wins? I hope so. It better. For my sake. For Tim Fraizer and for all these sen- iors." –N.B.

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