Not all of David West's 47 points fell on Keith Waleskowski's head, but most of them did. Twenty minutes after the game, Waleskowski sat in Dayton's dressing room, looking like an eye in the way of a jab.

"Just tired," he said. "I guess." The UD forward had pink abrasions beside each eye and a developing knot on his forehead. "I cussed myself the whole game."

He shouldn't have. West just had one of those games a player lives for. The basket was Lake Michigan. West was casting a line. The water was hard to miss. It helped that the Flyers let West catch the ball where he wanted it, which was down close to the hoop, and when he wanted it, which was all the time.

"He got the ball in great scoring position," Lionel Chalmers noted. "You give an All-American the ball in scoring position, he's going to score nine out of 10 times."

David West head finished the day with 47 points. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Dayton coach Oliver Purnell said he used lots of defenses against West. We'll take his word for it. The result always seemed to feature Waleskowski, backed toward the basket like a refrigerator being pushed against a kitchen wall. David never had many Goliaths around him.

West had Xavier's first 13 points, 16 of their first 18, 30 of their 46 and, well, you get the drift. "I looked up with something like 10 minutes left and he had 35," Chalmers said. "I'm like, 'What is this? Give him the ball.'"

West made a 3 from the top of the circle; he made a reverse layup; he made a couple 10-foot jumpers. If the NBA guys were watching, he probably made a little more cash. Mostly, West hogged position down low, got an unfettered entry pass, backed down Waleskowski, turned around and feather-weighted a 5- or 6-footer off the glass. Just like that. Ten times, at least.

Chalmers: "I could see it in their eyes. When he caught the ball, they didn't really want to guard him. Who wants to guard a guy that's on fire?"

The amazing thing, the most impressive note, was it seemed routine. West scored 47 points taking 26 shots. He made 16 free throws and hooked 18 rebounds and afterward said he felt the same as he always feels after a game. "Good," he said. "Real good."

West waited for the double teams, the pesky army of guards dropping down to swat at him. "Never came," he said. He didn't expect much zone, because Dayton doesn't play that way. "They like to play you straight up," West said. The fact is, West has become versatile enough, there is no right way to defend him.

"You take it out of his hands, (Dedrick) Finn's shooting 40-some percent from 3," Purnell said. "And if you trap (West), he's patient. He's going to hit the open guy."

Yet for all of West's glory, Xavier didn't lead until 13:49 remained.

A great player becomes a pleasant problem when you lean on him too much. When a team's highlight reel includes just one guy, everything isn't perfect. Probably, David West won't score 47 every night.

But we digress. Saturday afternoon was a day to pass the big man the plate and watch him eat.

This is why you stay. This is what four years can look like: a command, career performance in a big game against a big rival, 10,000 people chanting your name. David West might never score 47 points in the NBA. If he does, maybe he celebrates at 2 in the morning, with a room-service cheeseburger.

"Great atmosphere," West said. "Great college basketball game."

Great show. Forty-seven points, seemingly routine. Great show.

E-mail pdaugherty@enquirer.com

BEST OF WEST

David West scored 47 points Saturday in Xavier's 85-77 win against Dayton.

Most points by Xavier player

50: Steve Thomas (vs. Detroit), Jan. 6, 1964

47: David West (vs. Dayton), Feb. 8, 2003

45: Byron Larkin (vs. Loyola Chicago), Feb. 28, 1986

45: Steve Thomas (vs. Cincinnati), March 4, 1964

45: Gene Smith (vs. Georgetown, Ky.), Dec. 4, 1952