Davis gets praise for success on the court

Mike Davis saw the highlights from IU's win Thursday night on "Sportscenter," brief as they might have been. And he also heard what the anchor had to say.\n"She said that my critics can leave me alone now because I've won a game in the NCAA (Tournament)," Davis said, smiling.\nSeveral people and most of the national media said that same thing in Sacramento this weekend, and that might include some Hoosier fans who still might not believe Davis is the best man to coach IU. \nWith two regular seasons gone and one first round tournament loss last year to No. 13 seed Kent State, Davis said he felt the pressure Thursday night before the win against Utah, probably the same pressure he has felt every day since he was given the job at an interim level in September of 2000.\nNow, with a chance to take the Hoosiers to the Elite Eight in front of him Thursday when IU takes on No. 1 Duke, Davis might be feeling some of the pressure relent. Either way, he will just keep doing what he has been doing. He didn't even think he would get this far in the first place.\n"There's pressure all the time. Sometimes it's fair, sometimes it's not," Davis said this weekend. "I never thought that Indiana would really hire me if we didn't have a great year (in 2000-2001)."\nDavis was hired, and with Jared Jeffries leading the way, the expectations began to rise, which is normal at a school that has five national title banners hanging at Assembly Hall.\nUNC-W coach Jerry Wainwright said he doesn't know Davis very well, but he can only imagine what Davis must go through in order to replace Bob Knight.\n"A lot of pressure is self-induced. I heard Coach Davis say that he feels himself try too hard to prove certain things," Wainwright said. "What Coach Davis has to do and is doing right now is one of the most difficult things to do in our profession. His is a unique situation."\nDavis has responded by lending his personality to his team. A four-time winner of the Hustle award in his four years as a player at Alabama, Davis prefers defense to scoring. He doesn't mind a whole lot of hustle either.\nIn trying to get through his first season, he taught his players what he knows best.\n"As a player, I was a defender. The thing I wanted to do was instill my attitude and personality into the team," Davis said. "I know I may not look like or sound like a very aggressive guy, but I am on the basketball court."\nAt the same time, Davis has kept the pressure off his team.\n"Our team that goes out and plays every day is a reflection of him. I think that's why he puts so much pride in us playing hard and competing every game," Jeffries said. "People expect that if you're going to bring in another coach he has to do the same (as Knight). \n"I think Coach Davis did a great job of accepting that role and pushing us to be the best players that we can be. The pressure that he feels, he does a really good job of trying to defer it off the team."\nIt is impossible to have won three national titles in two years. Davis isn't too worried about history, but he does want to win now and with his team playing his style of basketball. \nThe Hoosiers are doing that; IU is winning and opposing coaches, perhaps the best critics of basketball coaches, are impressed.\n"I know one thing, his team is very well coached and his team seems to play together, and that's a tribute to whatever he's doing," Wainwright said.\nAfter getting past the Seahawks Saturday night, Tom Coverdale and A.J. Moye met an ecstatic Davis at mid-court for a hug. Before CBS could pull him away for the mandatory post-game interview, Davis enjoyed the win with his players and his staff, the same guys Davis said were the only ones who believed these Hoosiers would be successful together this season.\n"We just exchange the funniest words during the game and after the game's over we're laughing and having a good time," Moye said Saturday night while icing his left knee and tugging at his shoulder brace. "It means a lot. He's been through a lot. He's a tough-minded person. I just love the guy"