Oct. 14, 2011
Team to hold event for Penn State Hoops Club members & season ticket holders Oct. 22
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA.; Oct 14, 2011 - It's been four and a half months since Patrick Chambers was named the 12th head coach in Nittany Lion basketball history. Friday, Chambers and the 15 Nittany Lions that will comprise his first Penn State team and the 116th in Penn State's basketball history will finally take the floor in the team's first official practice.
It's been seven months since the Nittany Lions reached the championship game of the 2011 Big Ten Tournament and went on to play in the 2011 NCAA Tournament in Tucson, Arizona. The Nittany Lions graduated all-time leading scorer Talor Battle (2,213 points) and three other senior starters from that team. Friday, Chambers and Penn State begin the process of replacing nearly 80 percent of the scoring from last year's team and molding a Nittany Lion squad which features eight newcomers to the line-up, including five true-freshmen, a pair of transfers and redshirt freshman Jon Graham (Baltimore, Md.).
"I have high expectations for myself and also for the rest of the staff and team," Chambers said. "I think we have some talent here and when people say this is a rebuilding year, I don't know about that. I would tell you, we are going to create good habits every day, which is our goal. Our goal is to be the best team we can be at the end of the year. If we can do that, I think we have a chance."
Chambers will look to experienced junior guard Tim Frazier (Houston, Texas) to help lead the charge. Battle's backcourt running mate the last two seasons, Frazier emerged as a potent scorer and distributor in Penn State's late season surge toward the NCAA Tournament, posting 10.0 points, 5.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game over the Lions' final 11 games. The 6-1 junior returns as one of the top guards in the Big Ten after ranking third in conference games with 5.5 assists per game and second with a 2.36 assist-to-turnover ratio. Frazier, who has played in every game the last two seasons, posted a stellar 22-point, eight-rebound, six-assist effort in Penn State's Big Ten Tournament semifinal victory over Michigan State and had 15 points in an NCAA Tournament loss to Temple, signaling his evolution as a front line scorer for the Lions.
Chambers and the Nittany Lions will welcome all season ticket holders and members of the Penn State Hoops Club to an open practice event on Saturday, Oct. 22 in the Bryce Jordan Center main gym. Doors for the event will open at 11 a.m. Parking will be available in the Jordan Center Founder's lot. Fans should enter through the Founder's entrance on the east side of the Jordan Center where they can register. Fans can watch practice from the Jordan Center seats. A reception with pizza and refreshments and a meet-and-greet with team members and the coaching staff will follow in the Founder's Lounge. The 2011-2012 team poster will be available for all fans, and several prizes will be given away at the reception.
Season tickets for Nittany Lion Basketball are $200 for adults, $170 for faculty/staff and seniors, $80 for youth (18 and under) and $59 for students. Lady Lion Basketball season tickets are $117 for adults, $91 for faculty/staff and seniors and $52 for youth. Penn State students will be admitted for free to Lady Lion basketball games beginning this season.
PNC Flex Books are also available again this year for $99. The Flex Book gives fans 12 vouchers, 10 that can be redeemed in any combination for Nittany Lion and Lady Lion Basketball tickets throughout the year and two extra vouchers for the Nittany Lions' Coaches Vs. Cancer game on Feb. 11 vs. Nebraksa and the Lady Lions' Think Pink game on Feb. 26 vs. Minnesota.
For all the latest information, notes, pictures and related links on Penn State basketball follow Associate Athletic Communications Director Brian Siegrist on Twitter (@PSUSTRETCH) and check GoPSUsports.com. The Nittany Lions are also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatebasketball.
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