A long range shooter with good size and a quick release, Babb saw action in 32 games as a true-freshman last season but will be looked toward to increase his production and minutes to fill the void left by the graduation of Big Ten three-point shooting leader Stanley Pringle. At 6-5, 215 pounds, Babb has the size to shoot over most defenders and can also put the ball on the floor with a quick first step to get to the rim. He made 22 threes last year after not hitting his first until the ninth game of the season. He averaged one three per game in his remaining 23 games while shooting 40 percent from the arc. One of two Lions hailing from Texas, he brings nice size and athleticism to the perimeter and the deadly spot-up shooter will be a strong candidate for time at the perimeter positions.
2008-09 SEASON FRESHMAN
Babb saw action 32 of the Lions 38 games averaging in 2.8 points, 1.1 rebounds and 10 minutes per game...After starting 0-of-8 from three, he hit his first three in the ninth game of the season and went on to post 22 on the year, an average of one per game in his remaining 23 games...Hit 34.9 percent from three, but saw that average jump to 42.8 percent (15-of-35) in his final 14 games of the season...Hit two or more threes in nine games, including a stretch of four-straight games in early February...Scored in 16 games...Scored in double-digits in back-to-back NIT victories over George Mason and Rhode Island as he shot 5-of-7 (71%) from three...Posted 11 points, a career-high four boards and 3-of-4 from three in career-high 27 minutes in an overtime victory over George Mason (3/17)...Hit 2-of-3 from three and 5-of-6 from the line for a career-high 13 points and added three boards in a victory over Rhode Island (3/19)....Scored nine points on 3-of-5 from three in a loss at Ohio State (2/24), with three first half treys igniting a 16-0 run...Had eight points on 2-of-4 from three in a victory over Minnesota (2/14)...Had eight points on 2-of-3 from three, including his first career three, in a victory over Lafayette (12/21)...Went 2-of-5 from three, scored seven points, two assists and a huge steal in 20 minutes in a 38-33 upset victory at No. 16 Illinois (2/18)...Picked off an Illini pass and fed Stanley Pringle for a lay-up for a 32-31 lead with 4:16 to play after trailing by nine...Hit two big threes, one to give PSU a 22-16 first half lead, and scored six points with two blocks vs. No. 7 Michigan State.
HIGH SCHOOL
Babb helped lead The Oakridge School in Arlington, Texas to a 26-3 record and a district championship with an 8-0, district mark...He posted 31.2 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per game, totaling a school record 1,125 points on the season and making 73 three-pointers (2.0 per game)...Scored more than 40 points in eight games, including a school record 51-point outing...Also set school mark with 18 rebounds in a game as a sophomore...A three-year starter and senior year captain for the Owls...Was named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-State team for large private schools and to the TABC 4A and 5A All-Star Team...A two-time All-SPC selection and three-time team MVP...Oakridge plays in a private-school league that spans the Dallas/Fort Worth area as well as schools in Tulsa and Oklahoma City and won an SPC North Zone title in his senior season (2008)...He played AAU ball with Team Texas, which produced two other high-major signees...Listed as a three star recruit by Rivals.com and rated No. 34 among shooting guards in the nation...Babb chose Penn State over Iowa and was also recruited by Iowa State, New Mexico, Kansas State, Baylor, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Tulsa and Bradley among others
PERSONAL
The son of Mike and Nikki Babb, Chris was born in and grew up in Topeka, Kansas before moving to Texas with his family...He has a younger brother, Nick...His father is Athletic Director and played at Cameron University....His cousin, John Babb, is a freshman football player at Baker University...Born on Valentines Day, February 14, 1990....A high school honor roll student, he plans on majoring in Kinesiology.