By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Earnest Shelton had been hearing "just shoot the ball" from his teammates all season. Saturday, he did so at Xavier's expense in top-ranked Alabama's 65-58 win over the No. 19 Musketeers.

Shelton made three 3-pointers, the third one giving the Crimson Tide a 58-46 lead with 8:03 to play. It came at a time when Xavier could have made a run at Alabama. Instead, the Tide got the margin they needed.

"I made the 3s tonight," Shelton said. "And they either stopped a Xavier run or started our run (in the first half). It's a risky shot but a gamble you have to take."

It's risky because Shelton has made only 30 percent of his 3s all season. But he got encouragement from teammates such as Mo Williams and Erwin Dudley, who needed another scorer to relieve pressure on them.

"That's the sign of a great team," said Xavier senior David West. "They stayed poised and hit shots when we made runs."

CELEBRITY SCOUTS: As in his matchup with Mississippi State's Mario Austin in December, West played in front of several NBA scouts and general managers, who watched him and teammate Romain Sato, as well as Alabama's Dudley and Williams. The group of GMs included Chicago's Jerry Krause and Memphis' Jerry West.

West and Sato played poorly last month, but each had moments of success Saturday. West scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the first, and Sato scored 17 second-half points to finish with 20.

Dudley had the best night (18 points, 10 rebounds), but said he was motivated to stop West.

"I knew he was looking to score," Dudley said. "And I had to shut him down."

CHANGING WAYS: Xavier showed a zone defense for the first time this season but played mostly man. The switch was part of an effort to keep players fresh, especially West, Dedrick Finn and Keith Jackson, who all played 40 minutes because of the Musketeers' lack of depth.

Sato played 38 minutes, and if not for picking up a fourth foul with 9:33 left, he probably would have played the full game. The only reserves Xavier coach Thad Matta used were Angelo Smith and Will Caudle, leaving walk-on guard Keenan Christiansen on the bench.