Hilltoppers topple Gold Rush in exhibition game
November 10, 2009

Box score

     BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Sergio Kerusch scored 19 points Tuesday and led a game-opening run which lifted Western Kentucky to a 90-37 men's basketball exhibition victory over Xavier University of Louisiana.
     The Hilltoppers, with Kerusch scoring six points, took a 14-0 lead in the first 4:02. They led 24-2 through eight minutes and 45-16 at halftime.
     Cliff Dixon added 17 points and A.J. Slaughter 15 for Western Kentucky, an NCAA Tournament team the past two seasons.
     Ryan DeRousselle scored nine points and Cordell Hadnot six for NAIA member Xavier, which won its first two regular-season games but lost both exhibitions on the road against NCAA Division I opponents.
     Landon Bussie led Xavier with six rebounds, and Hadnot grabbed five. Jeremy Evans had 12 rebounds for the Hilltoppers and grabbed five of his team's 20 offensive rebounds.
     Western Kentucky outshot Xavier 48 to 27 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Gold Rush 56-27.
     Xavier will resume its regular-season schedule at 7 p.m. Friday against Brewton-Parker at The Barn. Western Kentucky will open its season in Louisiana — at 4:30 p.m. Monday against Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge.