The Mike & Mike Show lead Surprisin’ Illin

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Paul M. Banks talks with the Illini’s Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale

Illinois earned its 13th win of the current season in Tuesday’s win at #9 Purdue. Last season, the Illini finished the regular season with 13 wins. It marked Illinois’ first road victory over a Top-10 team since the Flyin’ Illini won at No. 8 Michigan on March 11, 1989. The 13-2 Illinois have won 17 of their last 20 dating back to the end of last season, a big reason why are the guys starting at the four and at the five:

F – 24 Mike Davis So., 6-9, 210 12.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.7 apg

C – 54 Mike Tisdale So., 7-1, 235 12.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg

Davis on a Champaign Campaign

Sophomore forward Mike Davis is tied for second on the Illini in scoring (12.1 ppg) and ranks third in the Big Ten in rebounding, averaging 7.7 boards. He has scored in double figures in 10 games, with three games of 20 or more points. He also has been the Illini’s top rebounder in 10 games.

Davis has improved his scoring average by 9.3 points this year and has already scored 82 more points at this point in his sophomore campaign — 169 total — than he did all of last season as a freshman (87). Davis had a spectacular performance vs. Clemson on Dec. 2, scoring a career-high 28 points. He made 12-of-19 shots against the Tigers, with his 12 field goals ranking as the most by a Big Ten player this season. The Illini’s next game, the home conference opener against lowly Indiana, will follow their second loss. Here’s what Davis had to say about their next game after their first loss. “We didn’t let it affect us, we came out and played hard and tried to forget about the loss and picked up a good win,” he said referring to the thrashing of Georgia coming after the loss to Clemson.

This season has seen the Illini play games in bunches, then have a considerable amount of down time, Davis articulated how that affects him. “A game, a day off, a game, a day off, helps us prepare for the tournament, that’s what the tournament is and that’s our goal for this season is to make the tournament,” he said

Davis has posted four double-doubles this season, tied for tops among Big Ten players. A friendly competition between him and key sub swingman Dominique Keller has developed, and Davis talked about making each other better, and how he’s mentored the  JUCO transfer during his first season in Champaign. “Yeah we go at each other everyday in practice. He goes at me, I go right back at him. He’s coming along fast, he can score when he gets on the floor.”

Tisdale Manning the Post

Center Mike Tisdale is another emerging sophomore starter. He’s second on the Illini in scoring, averaging 12.1 points, and is second on the team in rebounding with an average of 4.8 boards. He also leads the UI in blocked shots with 14.Tisdale has scored in double figures nine times this season, including each of the last five games. Over the five-game stretch, Tisdale is averaging 19.0 points while shooting 58.8 percent.

Illinois just suffered their second lost of the season at #24 Michigan, following their first loss of the season to #12 Clemson, Tisdale explained why they dropped that Big Ten-ACC Challenge game. “Tough match-up you could say, quicker, stronger, it was tough for me I didn’t have quote the confidence I should,” Tisdale is well known for the 6,000 calorie a day diet that the program has put him on in the hopes that he will gain some weight and become a bulkier post presence. One thing’s for sure, he’s made some huge strides from his freshman year. How did he improve his confidence and his play? “Doing the right thing, if I play hard, things will go the right way,” Tisdale said.

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