Big Ten: Ranking Top 5 Best Guards In Conference
By Jacob Rude
3. D.J. Newbill, Penn State
Jan 6, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions guard D.J. Newbill (2) defends Michigan Wolverines guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman (12) during the first half at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O
Stats: 21.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.5 steals, 46.9% FG, 37.7% 3-point
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Casual fans of college basketball may be surprised to find a Penn State player on this list, but Newbill is a more than worthy inclusion. Currently, Newbill leads the Big 10 in scoring by just shy of 2.5 points a game. He currently has a Nittany Lion program that has never been known as a basketball school sitting at 12-4 after leading them to a 12-1 non-conference record.
Much like LeVert, Newbill puts in great performances even in losses. In their only non-conference loss this year coming against Charlotte, Newbill had 35 points and 8 rebounds. Against Wisconsin, ranked #4 in our poll, Newbill again had a big night, pouring in 29 points in a losing effort.
The problem for Newbill is that Penn State rely on him far too much. He is the only double-figure scorer on the team and is the unquestioned leader of the team. His usage rate is 29.3%, which can be compared to LeVert’s 24.5% and Trimble’s 24.8% to see how much more Penn State rely on Newbill.
Next: Yogi Ferrell, Indiana