Feb. 3, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - D.J. Newbill was named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week after leading the Penn State men's basketball team to a pair of wins last week, the league announced Monday. Newbill's conference honor is the first for a PSU player since Talor Battle was named the player of the week Jan. 31, 2011.
Newbill and the Nittany Lions are on a three-game winning streak, the longest active streak among conference teams, after defeating No. 24 Ohio State on the road last Wednesday and Purdue in the Bryce Jordan Center Sunday. The junior guard averaged 22.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in the sweep.
In the overtime road win over Ohio State, Newbill poured in 25 points on nine field goals, pulled down eight rebounds, dished out a pair of assists and recorded one block as the Nittany Lions posted their first Big Ten road win over a ranked opponent since 2009. With time winding down in regulation against the Buckeyes, he hit the game-tying three-pointer to force overtime, and then converted the game-winning field goal with less than two seconds remaining in the extra session.
Against Purdue, Newbill scored 19 points, including an 8-of-10 effort from the free throw line, corralled seven rebounds and handed out three assists. He currently ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring at 17.6 points per game and third in minutes played (35.1 mpg).
The Nittany Lions return to action at 9 p.m. Thursday against No. 7 Michigan State in the Breslin Center. The game will be broadcast by ESPN2.