Watkins making immediate impact

Mike Watkins didn’t lead the Nittany Lions in points, rebounds or assists in their 82-74 win against Duquesne on Sunday night.

He didn’t have to.

The redshirt freshman big man made his mark on the game in every facet, sending home 6 of 7 shots for 15 points to go along with his six rebounds and five blocks. An energetic presence in Penn State’s starting lineup through the first two games of the 2016-17 season, Watkins is already showing the elements he’ll bring to the program in the paint.

“Mike's bringing a lot of juice. He's so raw. I don't even know if he knows how good he is. We're just going to keep working with him. Because he's so raw, he's still learning how to play the game,” said head coach Patrick Chambers. “But man, him inside blocking shots, again five blocks, really did some good things for us.”

According to Dukes head coach Jim Ferry, one particular aspect of Watkins’ game stands out above the others.

Relentless in his effort in a 27 minute performance, Watkins managed to play through four personal fouls and three turnovers. The result was a matchup for the Dukes that was challenging to contain, Ferry said.

“His motor. I think for a young kid, he plays really hard and he's relentless. He bothers shots around the rim. He's an exceptional second jumper. He's not really worried if he makes his first shot because he's going to get a second one. That's something you really can't teach,” said Ferry. “I think having him on the back line, it allows them to pressure out on the guards because they know they have someone in the back to block shots. I thought he played with a great motor, I thought he played really hard.”

Watkins’ teammates concurred.

Asked about the ways that Watkins can affect a game beyond a simple stat line, true freshmen Lamar Stevens and Tony Carr both acknowledged Watkins’ importance to the team at this developmental stage.

“Mike affects the game in so many different ways. He's a really great rebounder, he's a great shot blocker and he can score in the post and also he can pass the ball,” said Stevens. “He's a much better passer than people may realize. He affects the game in all aspects of the game. He's a special talent.”

Carr, meanwhile, cited Watkins’ impact defensively. Building on Ferry’s point, Carr said the Philadelphian acts as an insurance policy regardless of what else is going on as the Nittany Lions continue to work on defensive rotations.

“I feel like Mike's just a lifesaver out there,” said Carr. “He helps you if you get beat off the dribble, he'll block the shot, he'll get the rebound if you forget to box out. And we can feed him in the post and get constant buckets. Mike is kind of just like the glue guy to our team.”

The Nittany Lions return to action Tuesday evening at the Bryce Jordan Center when head coach Dan Majerle and his Grand Canyon program visit as part of the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament (7 p.m., ESPN3).