1. Xavier Tillman may be the Big Ten’s best sixth man
I’ve started to change my tune on Xavier Tillman in the past four games. Before the season, I expected Tillman to be one of the best bench players in the country and for him to take a huge step forward, but he looked bad through the first six games.
Tillman must have started to eat his Wheaties in the morning because he looks like a completely different player. He looks like the best sixth man in the Big Ten and may just hold that distinction.
Outside of a missed layup against the Gators, Tillman was excellent for the fourth straight game, scoring a team-high 14 points with nine rebounds, three steals and a block. He was 6-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from the foul line. If there was anyone who was consistent on Saturday afternoon, it was Tillman.
The sophomore big man made 14-of-21 shots in the first six games but he’s been much more productive, aggressive and efficient in the past four games, making 20-of-28.
We may be looking at the best sixth man in the Big Ten and a future star in East Lansing.