DJ Newbill cried so hard as the buzzer sounded that he covered his face and nearly collapsed to the floor.
The game lasted just around two hours, but it was a moment years in the making. Penn State’s 64-59 loss to Purdue closing the books on the Nittany Lions’ unexpected tournament run.
On the one hand it may have marked the final seconds of his collegiate career. Unless the Nittany Lions have played themselves into the postseason, it will be the completion of Newbill’s time at Penn State. That is a moment difficult for even the most stoic of players to handle.
But for Newbill it likely meant so much more.
His mother, the brightest light in his life and a leading force in his decision to transfer to Penn State, passed away only a few short weeks after being diagnosed with cancer just a few years ago.
Newbill was left with nothing, and as he said on the Big Ten Networks’ “The Journey”, he had to decide between the choice to “Either die with her, or live for her.”
And live he has.
Newbill does not frequently speak about his mother, but it isn’t difficult to see what kind of influence she still has on his life. The photos on his dorm room wall, the emotion he puts into the game and the passion that he has for his new family at Penn State. Simply the growth he has displayed from Day 1 to Friday, March 13th, 2015 is a story in itself. A victory far greater than anything he will find on the court.
And so as the final seconds ticked off the clock, it was likely the close to a chapter that Newbill’s mother had been so instrumental in and yet never witnessed. Of what Newbill does say, perhaps one of the biggest emotional wounds; the truth that she will have never seen what he has become, how much he is respected and how far his story has taken him. That she never saw him play.
So it is fitting that if Newbill’s career at Penn State has ended, that the Nittany Lions played a game with nothing left in the tank.
Penn State opened well, fending off Purdue’s early attacks before going on a 22-8 run that opened the door for a 10 point lead midway through the half. The Boilermakers kept the game close, but a three pointer by Donovon Jack made it a 37-26 margin with 1:47 to play in the opening stanza. The success engineered by Newbill’s quick eight points and contributions from Ross Travis and Brandon Taylor.
Purdue cut the lead to only five by the break as Penn State led 37-32 at the half after a deep three cut into the Nittany Lion lead to close out the opening 20 minutes.
The second half was a slow and thankless end to Penn State’s season. The Nittany Lions, playing their fifth game in 10 days, had nothing left. Penn State managed to hold off the Boilermakers until the 8:47 mark when Purdue turned a three point deficit into a five point lead, Newbill and company going nearly eight minutes without a basket.
Shots coming up short, rebounds falling just out of the reach of tired legs.
Amazingly though the Nittany Lions kept it close, just a four point margin with 40 seconds to play as Newbill hit maybe his toughest shot of the day to keep the game within reach. He wasn’t going out without a fight. He never does.
That shot would prove to be the last gasp of a great career and suddenly positive season. Penn State couldn’t muster up key rebounds in the final minutes, had no legs to hit shots and faced an AJ Hammonds who dominated the glass and the paint on both ends of the floor.
Maybe given a few days rest Penn State could have closed out that game, but for three games in three days, there was nothing to do but hope there was one final miracle left in the bag of tricks.
The miracle never came but the final buzzer did and with it a wave of tears. Penn State’s season coming up a few points shy of a Big Ten tournament semi-finals appearance and for Newbill a few points shy of lengthening the time he has with his extended family.
It is a tragedy that Newbill’s mother never saw him play at Penn State. It is unfortunate that one of the best players in college basketball is so often ignored.
But for three days in the sports’ biggest stage, DJ Newbill and Penn State made people watch. They made people believe and they showed that working hard can still get you somewhere. Newbill showed people that you can make it out of the toughest of environments and battle through life’s toughest obstacles. Faced with difficult choice after difficult choice, Newbill made the right one each time.
And from wherever she is watching, that is something Newbill’s mother is extremely proud of.
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