Michigan State Basketball: 5 bold predictions for Big Ten battle vs. Purdue

Michigan State Basketball: 5 bold predictions for crucial Big Ten battle vs. Purdue

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 10: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates late in the in the second half during a game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Breslin Center on February 10, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

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PISCATAWAY, NJ – NOVEMBER 30: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts after a basket against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half of a college basketball game at the Rutgers Athletic Center on November 30, 2018 in Piscataway, New Jersey. Michigan State defeated Rutgers 78-67. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images,) /

4. Xavier Tillman has career game

As a freshman in 2017-18, Xavier Tillman didn’t have a single performance with 10-plus points. Fast forward to his sophomore year and the 6-8, 260-pound Grand Rapids-native has six such outings in 15 tries. He has improved tenfold and he’s coming off yet another solid performance against Ohio State.

Through the first six games of the season, he scored just 34 points, averaging just less than six per game, but over the last nine games, he’s scored 94 points, averaging 10.4 per contest.

Tillman has tied his career-high of 14 three times this year, surpassing his previous high of 11, which he also hit three times. Against the Boilermakers, Tillman will put together his best career game, scoring-wise, adding 15 points to go along with nine rebounds off the bench as he’ll just have his way with Matt Haarms and the rest of the Boilers’ bigs.

There may not be a better bench player in the entire conference than Tillman and from where he was at the start of the year until now, he may be the most improved.

Can we start talking about Sixth Man of the Year honors yet?

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