UNIVERSITY PARK — Senior Shep Garner, who is entering his final season with Penn State, doesn’t recall having a closer team than this year’s unit.

“We like spending time together,” Garner said. “That’s the difference between this team and past teams. It’s my last year and I wouldn’t pick another team to do this with.”

They regularly go to movies and eat together, polishing off appetizers at Champs or resorting to Lamar Stevens’ favorites at T.G.I Friday’s.

Video games have also been a bonding experience, even though no one can agree on the best gamer. Josh Reaves, who was the Lions’ defensive leader last season, claimed to be the best at the popular NBA vidoe game series “2K.”

“He’s definitely not the best,” Stevens said when told about Reaves’ claim. “I am, definitely. It’s me.”

Familiarity and commonality is to blame for the family mindset. Four players — Garner, Stevens, Tony Carr and Nazeer Bostick — hail from Philadelphia’s Roman Catholic High School.

Stevens said that the players not from the Philly area are finally starting to pick up on their unique lingo.

Penn State is returning all of its starters from their 2016-17 campaign. Payton Banks was the only role player that decided to transfer out of Penn State. Sophomores Carr and Stevens have turned their first year of collegiate experience into an offseason leadership role.

“The more and more that I can channel my emotions the better we can be as a team,” Carr, the team’s leading scorer last season said

Freshman Jamari Wheeler, a florida native, has fit right into the team’s social circle and on-court mindset. Wheeler has become the most antagonizing athlete during practices.

“Oh, I hate Jamari,” Reaves said. “I tell him that every time. I hate him but I love him. Because every time he’s not on my team, he’s just so scrappy and annoying. But when he’s on your team, you just love him.”

“He’s perfect for coach (Patrick) Chambers,” Garner said. “He’s perfect for this team. He’s a bullet. He changes the pace and he’s not afraid to get his nose dirty.”

Garner stated that Wheeler was similar to Michigan State’s Tum Tum Nairn, “but better offense,” because of Wheeler’s shooting abilities.

The greatest leap in chemistry development for the team happened over the course of their series of practices and games in the Bahamas this offseason. Due to disciplinary reasons, Mike Watkins wasn’t allowed to join his teammates. Despite the setback, the Lions’ interior leader has had a strong start to the semester, on and off the court.

“He’s adjusted well,” Chambers said. “He’s doing every little thing we’re asking him to do.”

The 6-foot-9 redshirt sophomore added 20 pounds of muscle to his lengthy frame over the offseason. Watkins’ on-court development has been greatly helped by 7-foot big man, Satchel Pierce.

“Every day we’re going at each other as hard as we can,” Pierce said. “He’s making me better and I’m sure I’m making him better.”

Even though the team is close, the pressure to win and have a meaningful postseason looms.

“It’s about winning at this point,” Garner said. “If you’re a senior, you want to go out a winner.”

The postseason has been evasive for Chambers, who hasn’t guided the Lions to the NCAA tournament since coming to Happy Valley. He has adopted the mindset of a nearby program to make postseason play a reality this year.

“The guy across the street says ‘1-0′,” Chambers said, referring to Penn State football coach James Franklin. “I can’t worry about what’s going to happen in March. All I can worry about is today and how we can get this team better today.”

The Lions’ will face Campbell in the Bryce Jordan Center November 10th to start the regular season.