Indiana State basketball team savoring every moment it has left together in NIT

TERRE HAUTE -- For all the things that have changed for the worse in today's NCAA basketball landscape, at its core the sport provides young athletes a chance to come together, compete and grow as people on and off the court.

Not every player's college basketball experience is great. Not every team enjoys playing together. Not every coach has a group of players he enjoys coaching. But for programs with solid foundations of success and cohesion, when a season finally ends --- the pain is palpable.

Sitting at the dais fighting back tears less than an hour after playing his final college basketball game, Cincinatti grad student John Newman III -- in his fifth year of college basketball after transferring from Clemson -- needed a moment to process that fact that he's no longer a college basketball player.

"It hasn't all the way just hit me yet," Newman III said. "I would say I'm just grateful. ... Everything that college basketball has presented me with. I've gotten to meet so many great people, play for great coaches, have great teammates.

"I've been able to see a lot of the world and do a lot of things that I wouldn't have, had I not been a college basketball player."

Newman's words paint a picture of what athletics can do for a person. For Indiana State, a mid-major school where a future in the NBA is rarely waiting for a player after they leave Terre Haute, the entire program knows how meaningful the ability to play another game is.

ISU's 85-81 quarterfinal NIT win over the Bearcats extended its season at least one more game as the Sycamores face the VCU/Utah winner at Hinkle Fieldhouse on April 2.

After the win, the ISU fans wanted to storm the court, but they were kept away. Instead, the ISU players came out to slap five and celebrate with the fans who stayed up late to cheer them on. The Trees know a season like the one they're having doesn't happen every year. NCAA snub or not, this group knew they had more basketball left in them.

"Us not playing was never an option," said ISU coach Josh Schertz, who is reportedly a candidate for other coaching positions but wouldn’t address the situation Tuesday. "If you're competing, and you're a competitor, you have an opportunity to go play and play great competition and challenge yourself, that would be crazy for me to end my seniors’ year, a group that really cares about each other and say, 'We're just done. We're done with each other.'"

Schertz wanted the opportunity to show how supportive the ISU community is, and just how lively the Hulman Center can get. Cincinnati coach Wes Miller said as a Big 12 team, playing at the Hulman Center is comparable to what they face as a Power 5 school.

Schertz also acknowledged that ISU's great home atmosphere as a double-edged sword. He said Power 5 schools don't want to come to Terre Haute and play in that environment because a loss hurts them more than a win helps them. He added while that ISU's weak strength of schedule was the main reason it was kept out of the tournament, beefing up a non-conference schedule is not easy.

As the ISU prepares to head east for its game at Hinkle, Schertz hopes the ISU faithful can bring Hulman's energy to Indy.

"The two things that create an incredible home court environment -- atmosphere and great players," Schertz said. "You got to have fans that bring energy and passion, and I think we've seen that when you come to the Hulman Center."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana State basketball savoring every moment it has left together