DeVaughn Washington has done about as well as anyone trying to stop Jerome Tillman.
The sophomore forward has attempted to guard Tillman the last two years in practice and he - like the rest of the Mid-American Conference - has found Tillman to be much harder to guard this season.
Tillman is scoring close to six more points a game this season.
I manage to do it sometimes
Washington said. He can take you outside and inside. Another thing could be his strength and his ability to get offensive rebounds - it's tough to keep him off the glass.
I think he has a pretty complete all-around game.
Tillman has gone from a good complement to former Bobcat center Leon Williams last season to the best player in the conference.
With the offense going through him this season he is at the top of the conference in scoring average (20.1 points per game) rebound average (9.4) and near the top of the conference in free throw percentage (78.5 percent) and field goal percentage (52.7 percent).
Tillman has played even better against the teams that know him best.
In two conference games
Tillman is averaging 25.5 points per game.
I just wanted to get better, Tillman said. Knowing that I didn't have the greatest season last year (I'm trying to) keep staying focused and keep staying humble.
The senior stayed in Athens during the summer to work on his game
and he credits the intense off-season workout for his increased production.
(You) just try to push yourself to that next level, Tillman said. Playing an undersized position, forward, you've got to have energy. You've got to be able to run.
In the system we play in
you have to be able to run
so I didn't want to be the big man that was lagging behind in the break.
There is something else that is different about Tillman - his demeanor.
He is soft-spoken in interviews, but on the court Tillman becomes a different person.
He brings a lot more intensity
Washington said. I guess this being his senior season
he doesn't leave anything out to risk and he just goes hard every minute
every play.
Tillman will have to continue to play with that type of intensity when the first-place Bobcats put their five-game winning streak on the line against the Bulls tomorrow at 4 p.m.
The Bulls have two players - Rodney Pierce and Calvin Betts - ranked in the top-15 in the MAC in scoring. Buffalo also ranks 42nd in the country in out-rebounding their opponents by a margin of 5.8, which worries coach John Groce.
Groce is also interested in how his team will perform coming off a big road win against rival Miami.
Sometimes you have to bring them back down to earth a little bit
Groce said. (Buffalo) plays well at home.
They have a lot of depth, they're older, they've got a lot of guards that can really play off the dribble.
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26627,2009-01-16 01:46:00,Track and Field: Despite lack of indoor facility
