STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Mike Watkins glided up and down the court and made sure his presence was felt on both ends.
Always the entertainer, Watkins even belted out a few lines from a Bruno Mars song during a video that played on the jumbotron during a timeout, making teammates and the crowd chuckle right along with the Nittany Lions’ big man.
“He has just really matured, being consistent and that’s what we need from Mike,” Pat Chambers said Saturday night. ‘"We need Mike dialed in on everything and they’re starting to throw him the ball more."
"He clearly has a mission every time he steps on the court now that this is what I can do to help the team and this is how I can be successful because it can make the team really good too."
In a game the Nittany Lions dominated from the get-go en route to a 74-54 win against George Washington, Penn State’s eighth win of the season also marked Watkins’ second double-double of the year. With 15 points and 12 rebounds, Penn State’s starting five accounted for 67 of the team’s points, turning in the type of victory that Chambers knows not to take for granted.
For a program that’s preached defense and rebounding since Chambers’ arrival, the Lions showed some of the return on investment as they used their defense to set up a highly efficient offense. Using a swarming press for three quarters of the court, Josh Reaves and the Lions showed off some of that physicality and defensive prowess that Chambers loves.
That’s what he wants the identity of this team to be and while the Lions are 8-3 and will have time this week to rest up with finals on the horizon – with four non-conference games to go until the Big Ten slate really heats up -- the Lions are entertaining and showing promise. Bouncing back from a loss to Wisconsin where the Lions rallied back after being down 17 in the second half, the first 20 minutes of this game showed Chambers’ team what it can look like when they’re all dialed in like the powerful Watkins whose nine rebounds at the half were two more than the entire George Washington team, or the talented Tony Carr who finished with 19 points and six rebounds.
"The great teams step on the floor and they don't look at the score," Chambers said. "They say, 'We're playing one way and we're winning this possession.' If I can get our mental conditioning or our mental fortitude to buy into that then you're going to start seeing us win more consistently and perform more consistently."
A lot of that performance happens behind the scenes in the Bryce Jordan Center during practices, which is where Chambers said he's been thrilled with the Lions' progress. For Watkins -- who also had four blocks in the win -- that's included working out in a weighted vest, which when he took off Saturday night perhaps gave him a little extra hop in his step. Getting Watkins to buy into all the extras -- like the benefit of sleep that senior Shep Garner said he's been harping to his teammates about because during his fourth year he finally understands the value of doing all the little things -- in turn is making this now not so young roster anymore much more complete. What they've done behind the scenes has translated to games as well, Garner said.
"He's been dominating in practice and dominating in the game," Garner said of Watkins. "That's one thing I've been mentioning to him over and over just dominant. Dominate every possession. Dominate every time you can. He's been doing it and he's making our life that much easier."
It's resulted in consistency for this team and Saturday night all five of the Lions' starters finished with double-digit point totals and they held George Washington to jus 19 points at the half. It was that dominant of a showing, despite some second-half efforts that kept George Washington within 20. And, not needing to be a one or two-man show like the Lions had to be in Chambers' early years continues paying dividends. Now, as it's always been, it's about following up one dominant performance the next time out, which for the Lions won't happen again until they take the court next Sunday against George Mason.
"It’s nice to see us come out and play that well," Chambers said with a pause likely because he knows it all too well. "But, we’ve got to do it every time."