One consistent Aggie

By Shaun Harrison

Published: Friday, February 19, 2010

When it comes to crunch time in an Aggie men’s basketball game, you can put money down that No. 24 is going to be on the court.

With the outcome undecided late in a game Wednesday night in a big Western Athletic Conference showdown, there he was making a play to help Utah State win its 11th straight. Tyler Newbold came up with a steal with 1:04 to play and the Aggies clinging to a two-point lead. Fifty seconds later when USU was still ahead by just two, he stepped to the free throw line and sank a pair of free throws.

“Tyler, throughout his career, is a hard guy to take out of the game,” Aggie head coach Stew Morrill said before Wednesday night’s game. “He just does so many things for you out there. He has a total feel for what is going on, on both ends of the court.”

Newbold doesn’t get to the foul line much, but when he does most often you can count on the shots going in. Last week at Boise State he iced the game with a pair of free throws with a second to go. Then at San Jose State, he stopped a Spartan rally with two foul shots late in that game.

I’ve worked on my free throws a lot,” Newbold said. “My first two years, I forget my percentages, but they weren’t as high as I know they could be. This year I’ve improved a lot.

“I don’t go to the line a ton, so when I do go to the line, I’m a good enough shooter that I need to knock them down and I need to help the team out that way. We need to be a good free-throw shooting team because it’s important down the stretch in close games.”

It’s not like Newbold was terrible his first two years at USU at the line. He made 83.9 percent as a freshman and 76.2 percent as a sophomore. This year he has improved to 89.5 percent (34-of-38).

And he is on the court when games are on the line, which leads to him playing 30.3 minutes an outing. Only point guard Jared Quayle averages more playing time at 31.3. Last year Newbold led the team with 32.4 minutes a game, which ranked sixth most ever for a season by an Aggie.

“I think I’ve reached a point in my career where coach knows I’m not going to take a play off,” Newbold said. “You might have to ask him on that.”

Morrill just smiled and confirmed what his 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior said when asked.

“I am not going to take a play off,” Newbold continued. “I go do my job the best that I can. I will make a mistake here and there, but it’s not going to happen a lot. I think I have that trust with him (Morrill). It’s fun to play two spots, so that allows me to play a little more.”

Newbold plays the two and three and would probably play the point and four if asked. The Payson High graduate is willing to do whatever is asked. Plus, he challenges himself when he feels he may be lacking in some phase.

After not rebounding like he felt he should, Newbold focused on that and twice this season has pulled down 11

boards in a game. The first time was against Western Oregon, when he recorded his first double-double as an Aggie.

“A double-double has always been a goal of mine, because I’ve always felt it is something I could do,” Newbold said.

“... I’ve been pleased that I’ve been rebounding better and hopefully that can continue.”

So, does he have a goal of a triple-double?

“Sure,” Newbold said with a chuckle. “No, I don’t know if I ever will. I guess it is possible with assists and rebounds. ... If a double-double or a triple-double happens, great, but I’m not going to go out and say I have to have that.”

Newbold has had eight assists in a game during his USU career, while his high in points is 21. This season he has scored 15 on three occasions and had six assists last Saturday.

For the season, Newbold is averaging 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists a game. In WAC games, he is averaging 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists each game.

“He’s a really good defender, doesn’t turn the ball over, shoots at a high percentage and plays two positions,” Morrill said. “That makes him pretty dog gone valuable.”

On the last road trip, Newbold was 7-of-12 in the shooting department, including an impressive 6-of-8 from 3-point range. He is shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from 3-point land.

“I realize my role on the team; I’m not a guy that is going to go out there and get 20 points,” Newbold said. “But when I can get 11, 12 or 13 and our other guys are doing what they always do as well, then we are going to be a tough team to beat.”

While known for his 3-point shooting — Newbold is currently sixth in school history in career 3-pointers (139) and 3-point attempts (326) and fourth on 3-point percentage list (.426) — he has proven he can score in many ways. Newbold hit the game-winning shot against New Mexico State in the semifinals of the WAC Tournament last year from 12 feet.

Taking care of the ball is another Newbold trait. Last year he led the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.96-to-1.00. He has a plaque from the NCAA for that accomplishment.

“It means a lot to me,” Newbold said. “... It’s neat to say I took care of the ball the best out of anyone in the country. It’s something I’ve always felt I did a pretty good job of.”

This year his assist-to-turnover ratio is 2.85-to-1.00. He has had a couple of multiple-turnover games, which bothers No. 24.

“There’s been a few games where I’ve had two or three turnovers,” Newbold said. “It’s frustrating when that happens; it eats me up inside. It helps me to go out and focus more.”

He is also showing more emotion this year. Normally, Newbold is hard to read when on the court. He just goes about his job, but has displayed some fist pumps and screams this season.

“I don’t know why it happens,” Newbold said. “When it comes it comes. I do need to be more vocal out there, do need to show emotion when it is the right time to show emotion.”

Like when he had 11 rebounds at Nevada in what he calls a game that proved to him and his teammates they can win anywhere.

A student of the game, Newbold also gets it done in the classroom. He has earned academic all-WAC honors twice and was recently named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII first team. Only four players from the WAC were honored and no other athlete from the state of Utah was recognized.

The journalism major also does a weekly blog at www.usubasketball.blogspot.com. He has enjoyed the feedback and would like more.

While he doesn’t shy from it, Newbold also doesn’t expect to be treated differently because he is a diabetic. He monitors himself regularly, and Aggie trainer Mike Williams keeps an eye on him as well.

“I was asked recently about his diabetes, how it affected how we practice and play him,” Morrill said. “Not one ounce. ... I have never dealt with it at all. That’s kind of the way Tyler wants it.

“... (Former USU assistant coach) James Ware came over after our game the other night (at San Jose State). He has a son that is diabetic. What a great example Tyler Newbold was to that young man and any young man or woman with that condition. You can live your life, do what you want in many cases.”

Right now Newbold just wants to do whatever it takes to help the Aggies keep winning and reach the Big Dance again.