Gold Rush lose 84-69 exhibition at Western Kentucky
November 4, 2010

Box score

     BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Juan Pattillo scored 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds Thursday to lead Western Kentucky to an 84-69 men's basketball exhibition victory over Xavier University of Louisiana.
     Pattillo, a senior forward and a transfer from Oklahoma, scored 18 points to lead the Hilltoppers to a 34-25 halftime advantage.
     Devin Andrew led Xavier with 10 points and seven rebounds, and Denzell Erves and Jeremy Lee scored nine points apiece.
     The Gold Rush never led but rallied from a 14-2 deficit to tie the score at 17 on Anthony Simmons' 3-point play at 8:59. Xavier, a 90-37 loser at Western Kentucky a year ago, outscored the Hilltoppers 39-31, including 11 consecutive points, in the final 13½ minutes.
     Steffphon Pettigrew added 16 points, and Brandon Peters had eight assists and seven steals for Western Kentucky, an NCAA Division I member and a 21-game winner last season. Xavier is an NAIA member.
     Both teams shot 45 percent from the floor. Xavier made 19-of-22 free throws had a 39-33 rebound advantage, but the Gold Rush committed 26 turnovers, 19 more than the Hilltoppers.
     Xavier, 1-0 in the regular season, will play Carver College at 6 p.m. Saturday at The Barn. Western Kentucky will begin its regular season at St. Joseph's (Pa.) on Nov. 12.