Mike Watkins Season 2018-19

Career: Owns Penn State career field goal percentage record at 61.7 percent which ranks 22nd among NCAA active career leaders...Ranks second all-time on the PSU list for career blocks with 199 behind Calvin Booth’s 428 (1995-99)...Moved into a tie for second with Geary Claxton on Penn State’s list for double-doubles with 26 behind John Amaechi (38)...Ranks 10th on Penn State’s career rebound chart with 725...Became only the second sophomore in Penn State basketball history to achieve 500 career rebounds, and in the Purdue game (2/18/18), tied Nittany Lion great Jesse Arnelle with 525 in only two seasons of play.

Season: 2017-18: Holds the Penn State single-season record for field goal percentage at 68.5, which would have ranked No. 2 nationally, but when he missed the remainder of the season, his 74.3 participation percentage did not qualify for the NCAA games played requirement of 75 percent...Owns two of the top-10 single-season marks for field goal percentage, with 59.0 (128-217) in 2016-17 for No. 7 in addition to his top mark. 2016-17: Set the Penn State single-season field goal percentage record at 68.5 percent, topping Jarrett Stephens' mark of 64.0 from 1997-98.

Game: Connected on 9-10 field goals vs. Iowa (2/3/18) to tie the single-game individual record for field goal percentage and Penn State record for field goal percentage in a Big Ten game with a 9-10 outing (90.0%) after starting the game 8-8...Posted a double-double with 18 points and season-best 16 rebounds vs. Colgate (12/8/18)...Led team in three categories with a season-high 19 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks at Michigan (1/3/19) going 8-11 from the floor...Notched career-best 22 points vs. Wisconsin (12/4/17) off nine field goals and four free throws...Pulled down career-high 19 rebounds (5 off, 14 def) and had 15 points and three blocks vs. Rutgers (1/27/18).

AS A REDSHIRT JUNIOR – 2018-19

Awards: Selected by the team for the program’s Lou Lamie “Most Inspirational” Award as he persevered in his return to the court after an injury ended his 2017-18 season and he courageously brought attention to mental health issues.

Season: Played in 27 games with 14 starts...Averaged 7.8 points and 7.4 rebounds...Registered six double-doubles, five coming against Big Ten competition...Scored in double digits 11 times, including six of the eight games in January...Pulled down double figures in rebounds nine times...Led Nittany Lions in rebounding 14 times and had or shared top blocks totals in 16 contests.

Rankings: Ranked in the Big Ten’s top 10 in three categories for all games played: sixth in field goal percentage (56.1), seventh in blocked shots at 1.5 per game and ninth with 7.4 rebounds per game...Stands 13th among the NCAA’s active Division I career leaders in blocked shots (199) and 19th in blocked shot average (2.24).

Virginia Tech (11/27): Grabbed seven rebounds and had career-high-tying three steals off the bench in upset win. Colgate (12/8): Recorded first double-double of season with 18 points and season-best 16 rebounds, 11 coming on the defensive end. vs. NC State (12/15): Scored in double figures for second-straight game with 10 off four field goals. at Michigan (1/3): Connected on eight of 11 field goals and added three points from the free throw line for season-best 19 points...Pulled down game-high 12 rebounds. at Nebraska (1/10): Swept the boards with game-best 14 and had 12 points in second Big Ten double-double of season. Iowa (1/16): Shared season high with perfect 5-5 shooting from the floor to tally 11 points...Collected 11 boards, nine defensive, for fourth double-double of season...Swatted away four balls. at Minnesota (1/19): Scored seven of his 10 points and had eight of his nine rebounds in the first half. Purdue (1/31): Started strong in first half with nine points and nine rebounds and finished with a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards. at Northwestern (2/4): Made big contributions on defense with three blocks...Converted layup to give Nittany Lions first-half lead. at Illinois (2/23): Earned start and produced 10-point, 12-rebound effort with game- and season-high five blocks. at Wisconsin (3/2): Became one of only 13 Nittany Lions with 700 career rebounds. at Rutgers (3/6): Matched Big Ten season best with 14 rebounds...Recorded three steals...Played season-high 29 minutes. vs. Minnesota-BTT (3/14): Went 7-10 from the floor for 14 points and had seven rebounds in 18 minutes.

AS REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE – 2017-18

Awards: Named to the Big Ten Conference All-Defensive Team...Recognized as an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick by both the coaches and media...Presented with Penn State’s “Scrappiest Player Award” at the Nittany Lions' annual banquet.
 
Season: Did not return to competition after suffering leg injury early in Michigan game (2/21), missing final nine games...Played in 74.3 percent of games, narrowly missing 75 percent games played requirement to rank first in Big Ten for season field goal percentage at 68.5 (146-213) and No. 2 in NCAA rankings...Became only the second Penn State sophomore to reach 500 career rebound milestone, tied with Nittany Lion great Jesse Arnelle for most in first two years with 525...First Nittany Lion to have five consecutive double-doubles against Big Ten foes since John Amaechi in 1994-95...Tops on the team in rebounding with 9.4 per game average, highest by a Nittany Lion since Aaron Johnson (9.9 in 2004-05)...Scored in double figures in 20 games with 12.1 points per game average and had 13 double-digit rebounding games...Put up impressive numbers in January 2018 with 13.7 ppg and 12.1 rpg average which included his five-straight double-doubles.

Rankings: Claimed Big Ten’s top spot in field goal percentage in conference only games at 70 percent (91-130)...Owned the No. 3 spot in Big Ten for total blocked shots with 68 which placed him 33rd nationally...Ranked third in Big Ten with 9.1 rebounds per conference game.

Fairleigh Dickinson (11/12): Had 15 points off 6-9 FG shooting with five rebounds and three blocks. Columbia (11/17): Recorded first double-double of season with 11 points and 14 rebounds...Added six blocks...Went 5-5 FG in second half with four blocks coming in second stanza. vs. Pittsburgh (11/20): Totaled 13 points as one of six Nittany Lions in double figures ...Was a perfect 6-6 from field. at NC State (11/29): Posted game-high total 14 rebounds. George Mason (12/17) Registered a double-double with Lamar Stevens with 14 points and 12 rebounds. at Iowa (12/2): Had then Big Ten-best 19 points (9-13 FG) and seven rebounds in a career-high 36 minutes in win. at Maryland (1/2): Recorded double-double with a team-leading 17 points and career-best 17 rebounds...Went 8-11 from the field and had two blocks, an assist and steal. Northwestern (1/5): Collected game-best 17 rebounds in double-double with 18 points. at Indiana (1/9): Had 10 points, all in the second half and game-best 12 rebounds...Added four blocks and two steals. Nebraska (1/12): Scored 20 points and collected 15 rebounds in overtime win, 12 points coming in second half. Minnesota (1/15): Recorded fifth-straight double-double, ninth of season and 17th of career with 20 points and 11 boards in overtime game...Became first Nittany Lion to have five consecutive double-doubles against Big Ten foes since John Amaechi in 1994-95. Rutgers (1/27): Scored 15 points and had a career-high 19 rebounds. at Michigan State (1/31): Scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds in 20 minutes of action...Had key steal of Spartan inbound pass at 0:37 mark of game to set up Tony Carr’s second 3-pointer to trim deficit to six points. Iowa (2/3): Scored 19 points and pulled down 10 boards...Tied Penn State single-game individual record for field goal percentage and Penn State record for field goal percentage in a Big Ten game with a 9-10 outing (90.0%) after starting the game 8-8. Maryland (2/7): Recorded 20th career double-double and 12th of season with 11 points and 10 rebounds...Went 5-7 from the field and had career-best three steals to go along with five rebounds. at Illinois (2/18): Was a perfect 5-5 from field with four rebounds and a steal in limited minutes. Michigan (2/21): Suffered leg injury in first five minutes of game...Missed remainder of the season.

AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN – 2016-17

Awards: Named B1G Freshman of the Week twice – after Penn State wins over St. John's (12/18) at Madison Square Garden and at home over No. 24 Minnesota (1/14).

Season: Made history as one-third of the trio of first Nittany Lions with freshman eligibility to start in a season opener and played and started in all 33 games...Scored in double figures 16 times in 2016-17 and had the top points total for the Nittany Lions four times...Led team in rebounding 21 times with nine games with 10 or more rebounds...Accounted for nearly half (90) of team’s record 182 blocks...Swatted away 90 shots with average of 2.7 per game to rank fifth on the both Penn State’s single-season total and blocks average lists...Averaged double-digit scoring in December with 11.0 ppg with 9.5 rebounds per game that month...Shot 61.4 percent from the field in Big Ten regular-season games...Broke the freshman record for double-doubles, (all points and rebounds) with eight...Broke the 65-year-old Penn State freshman record for rebounds with 267...Had sizzling 76.9 shooting percentage from floor and averaged 13.7 points per game in three March games.

Rankings: Ranked in the top 10 nationally for blocked shots per game (9th – 2.73) and total blocked shots (10th – 90)...Set Big Ten Tournament record for blocks in a single game with eight vs. Nebraska (3/8) and ranks second all-time for blocks in a single tournament with 10 in two games...Took over the top spot on Penn State's career field goal percentage list at 59.0, bolstered by percentages of 60 percent or more 18 times.

Albany (11/11): Filled the stat sheet in first career start recording 10 points, seven rebounds, two steals and five blocks.Duquesne (11/13): Posted career-best 15 points on an efficient 6-of-7 from the field and 3-4 from the free throw line...Recorded team-high five blocks for second-straight game along with six rebounds. Grand Canyon (11/15): Hauled in 11 boards for first double-figure rebounding game for then-career best. George Washington (11/26): Registered first 20-point game and left his mark in rebounds and blocks columns with a team-leading eight and four, respectively...Scored 15 of his 20 in second half. Georgia Tech (11/29): Recorded first career double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Wright State (12/3): Posted a career-high eight blocks, tied for the sixth-most in a single game in Penn State program history and most since Calvin Booth had nine in 1999... Added eight points and nine rebounds. Pittsburgh (12/10): Pulled down 15 rebounds, first time a Penn Stater had that number since 2006...Led team in scoring with 17 points...Shares the No. 6 spot on Penn State’s list for blocks in a game with Calvin Booth (all-time career leader, 1995-99). Purdue (2/21): Became just the second player to record double-figure rebounds (13) against Purdue this season. at Iowa (3/5): Had exceptional field goal percentage with 8-8 performance, which tied for season's individual single-game best. vs. Nebraska-BTT (3/8): Continued efficiency with 9-12 effort from field in overtime win...Blocked eight shots, breaking the 15-year-old Big Ten Tournament single-game record and tying his career-best mark.

HIGH SCHOOL
Played senior season at The Phelps School in 2014-15...Won the 2015 PIAA Championship game against Westtown after overcoming a 16-point third-quarter deficit...Tallied 12 points, eight rebounds and six blocks in the comeback victory...Averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds and 6.5 blocks a game during his final high school season...As a junior at Philadelphia’s Math, Civics & Sciences (MCSCS) in 2013-14, reached the 2014 PIAA-A tournament championship game while racking up 17 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks in a runner-up finish to Lincoln Park Performing Arts...Averaged 11 points, 12.5 rebounds and five blocks during a junior campaign in which he totaled 17 double-doubles...Played AAU with Team Philly, the same program which produced Brandon Taylor...Rated as a 4-star recruit and the third best recruit from Pennsylvania in the class of 2015 by ESPN.com.

PERSONAL
Full name is Michael Alphonso Watkins...Mother is Rebecca Watkins...Is the fourth-oldest among eight children...Has five brothers, Donte, Manman, James, Almere and Dylan, and two sisters,  Country and Aylissa...Studying criminology...Born August 10, 1995 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.