Thad Matta designated a sixth man/sparkplug role for Keith Jackson, and his ballyhooed freshman didn't disappoint Saturday.

        Jackson, a Purcell Marian grad, was Xavier's second-leading scorer in his first collegiate game, scoring eight points against Coastal Carolina. He shot 4-of-7 and added three rebounds, two assists and a block in 22 minutes.

        “I tried to bring a lot of energy off the bench,” Jackson said. “I felt very comfortable out there.”

        Said Matta: “We hit a little lull there in the first half, and Keith came in with great energy. He does a great job keeping the ball alive on the glass.”

        Fellow freshman Jaison Williams made both his shots, totaling four points and two steals. Another rookie, Anthony Coleman, had two rebounds and a block.

        WELCOME BACK:

        Alvin Brown had seven points in a 90-second span in the first half, which was just one point fewer than he totaled in XU's last 25 games of last season. His four assists led XU and represented his highest total in two years.

        WEST SNUBBED:

        David West seems suddenly unsung. In a survey of five preseason publications that pick Atlantic 10 player of the year honors, only one picked West to repeat that honor — and that one, Blue Ribbon, said he would share the award with Saint Joseph's senior Marvin O'Connor.

        Street & Smith's, Athlon and The Sporting News all picked O'Connor as the league's best player. Lindy's gives that honor to O'Connor's sophomore teammate, Jameer Nelson.

        “I'm not worried about (not being picked),” West said. “Getting that honor is a long way from now.”

        West also didn't get a single vote in the Associated Press All-American voting. (O'Connor got votes.) The Sporting News picks O'Connor a second-team All-American and Athlon puts him on its third team.

        West and O'Connor both made Playboy's 10-player All-American team, and West made the second team of Dick Vitale's All-American picks.

        RADIO SHOW MOVES:

        The coach's call-in show, for which Matta makes his debut tonight, has moved this season to the Highland Bar & Grill, located in the Quality Hotel in Norwood. The show airs live from 8-9 p.m. Sundays on WLW-AM (700).

        UP NEXT:

        XU plays No.8 Missouri (2-0) at about 8:20 p.m. Saturday in the Wooden Tradition event at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, which will be televised on Channel 64.

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