Most of Xavier's shooters looked Saturday as if they were playing their first game of the season. Which they were.

        But David West was in midseason form, and the Musketeers fed him enough for an easy 72-41 beating of visiting Coastal Carolina. XU's junior center totaled 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting and set a school single-game record by blocking eight shots.

David West throws one down on Coastal Carolina's Antonio Darden. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        “I think he's pretty good,” new XU coach Thad Matta said of West.

        XU held CCU to 27.4-percent shooting, and the 41 points were the lowest total by an XU opponent since a 67-41 victory over Duquesne on March 12, 1993. The last time an opponent had fewer points was Dec. 28, 1960, when Yale lost 72-39 to XU.

        Eight minutes into the second half, West still had as many points (23) as did the Chanticleers. West added seven rebounds, and his blocks total eclipsed the mark of seven he had previously shared with Aaron Williams and Dave Payton.

        Not bad for playing just 29 minutes. West sat down for good with 6:07 left, having scored just three fewer points than CCU had at that juncture.

        “It was a mismatch, probably, physically,” West said. “Those guys weren't as strong as me, and my teammates did a good job getting me the ball in the right spots.”

        In the first game of the Matta era, XU fans saw a stout defense that defended well in the half-court, blocking 12 shots and forcing 26 turnovers. The Musketeers got many of their points in transition, accomplishing the same results as they did during the days of their relentless full-court press.

        “It was a heck of a game for us,” Matta said. “I thought our guys defensively played with tremendous energy and intensity. That's what we'd been harping on in practice for the last month.”

        Last winter, XU allowed just 40.6 percent shooting by opponents, its best defensive mark in 39 seasons. The lowest anyone shot against the Musketeers last year was George Washington's 30-percent mark (24-of-80) in a 71-63 XU victory.

        There was little suspense about Saturday's outcome. XU led 13-2 after 4 1/2 minutes and would soon lead 30-9.

        West took XU's first three shots of the season. Less than six minutes into the game, he had made five consecutive shots and was personally outscoring CCU 11-6. He outscored the Chanticleers 17-16 in the first half.

        Take West's numbers away, though, and XU shot 29.8 percent (17-of-57) Saturday. His four fellow starters shot 18.4 percent (7-of-38). Kevin Frey (six points, 10 rebounds) shot 2-of-14 and Romain Sato (seven points, 10 rebounds) was 2-of-13.

        “I'll take poor shooting as long as we're defending well,” Matta said. “Romain Sato, for instance, was 2 for 13, but he played as well defensively as I've seen him play.

        “Guys could have got demoralized because some of those shots were going down and came out. But they hung in and played hard. I'm happy with their energy.”

        The Musketeers' outside shooting looked like last year, when their 3-point percentage (30.3 percent) was their worst ever. XU made just 1-of-11 3-point tries Saturday (9.1 percent) and made just three shots outside the paint all night.

        XU's bench, previously considered a question mark, played well Saturday. It totaled 22 points on 10 of 19 shooting (52.6 percent), led by eight points from freshman Keith Jackson and seven from Alvin Brown.

        CCU freshman Clint Nagel, a Loveland native and Moeller High grad, fouled out after playing nine minutes. He didn't attempt a shot but grabbed one rebound.

        Coastal Carolina 16-25 41
       Xavier 41-31 72
       

        Attendance—10,250. 3-point goals— Xavier 1 (Brown), CC 2 (Newby 1, Coggins 1). Technical fouls— none. Officials— LaRocca, Jensen, Anderson.

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