BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- In their only preseason tune-up of 2009-10, the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers treated a crowd of 4,128 at Diddle Arena to a 90-37 win over Xavier University of Louisiana. Sergio Kerusch and AJ Slaughter paced the Toppers with 19 and 15 respectively while newcomer Cliff Dixon was impressive off the bench with 17 points.

WKU improves to 8-0 all-time in exhibition games against four-year colleges, holding Xavier (La.) to the lowest point total allowed in those eight exhibition games.

The Hilltoppers wasted little time in taking control of the contest, scoring the first 14 points en route to a 24-2 advantage with 12:09 to play in the first half after Kerusch's transition slam. Kerusch had eight points during the spurt while Dixon scored eight-straight. In the first eight minutes, it was inside or out for WKU as the team attempted seven three-pointers and seven lay-ups or dunks.

An offensive stickback by Steffphon Pettigrew with 2:14 left until half pushed the bulge to 30 at 43-13, and it closed out a half in which WKU dominated second chance points 17-0. Pettigrew finished with six points and six rebounds. For the game, the Toppers won the battle of the boards 56-27 as well as second chance opportunities 26-2.

The second half opened much the same as the first, with a Kerusch bucket, and a 18-4 run midway through the stanza ballooned the spread from 58-27 to 76-31 on Jeremy Evans' fastbreak dunk with 7:27 to play. Six different Toppers scored during the run while Evans finished with six points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

Dixon finished 6-of-8 from the field, converting both of his three-point attempts and all three free throws. The junior from Suitland, Md. also swatted three of the team's six blocked shots in 18 minutes of action. Senior guard Anthony Sally dished out 11 of the team's 18 assists while committing only two turnovers.

All 12 Hilltoppers scored while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor. WKU also forced 21 turnovers and held a 25-8 in points off those miscues.

Ryan DeRousselle led the Gold Rush with nine points off the bench. As a team, the NAIA squad from New Orleans, La. struggled against the Toppers' defensive pressure, shooting just 26.8 percent including 1-of-9 from long range.

WKU will open their 91st season of college basketball on Monday, November 16 in the 25th Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off. Competing in the South Region, hosted by LSU in Baton Rouge, La., the Hilltoppers will face Wisconsin-Milwaukee at 4:30 PM.

NOTES:
• WKU improves to 8-0 all-time in exhibition games against four-year US colleges.
• WKU wins its 13th-straight exhibition contest dating back to a 2002-03 loss to the Harlem Globetrotters
• WKU improves to 44-4 all-time in exhibition games
• WKU is now 3-0 in exhibition games under head coach Ken McDonald
• With William Green's bucket at 9:58 of the second half, all 12 Hilltoppers scored

QUOTES:
WKU Head Coach Ken McDonald
On the intensity that the team showed in tonight's game:
"That's all we ask them to do. We said 'let's build our identity starting today.' We're going to be the best defensive team in the country, and we're going to be the best rebounding team in the country. We're going to play aggressive and together on the offensive end. I was very, very pleased. I'm very, very excited about a lot of things."

On the depth of the team's roster this season:
"With guys coming off the bench, and I think I have the luxury of going nine-, 10-, 11-deep at times, it allows those starters to take it to another level. Not only that, they're able to come back in with the same energy they started with. It can be a tag-team effort with this team. That's the kind of depth I'm excited to coach. Our coaching staff is continually doing a good job in recruiting, and that's allowed us right now to be excited about the spot we're in."

On the versatility of this year's team, as far as being able to play multiple defenses:
"I didn't even mean to do this, but we went 2-3 zone [tonight] and went with a very big lineup. You can see in the back line how long they are. Jeremy Evans, Cliff Dixon and Nemanja [Milosevic]. When they spread out, they can pretty much spread out from one side of the floor to the other. Jamal [Crook] is so quick getting to the ball, and then throw A.J. [Slaughter] out there at the top and that's a very quick lineup. I like the prospects of our zone. That also allows you to have some energy on the offensive end."

On the play of Cliff Dixon in his WKU debut:
"I was happy that he was listening and doing a great job energy-wise. He's got a real knack and feel for scoring the basketball. Tonight, I tell you what, I was very excited. You saw that he would make some defensive mistakes, but there are guys who can get back in the play and still make plays even after making a mistake. He's one of those guys. He blocked a couple of shots out of nowhere."

On how to transition from preseason and exhibition play to the regular season:
"We have to continue to work on special situations. There are a lot of things to clean up on the defensive end, and there are a lot of things to put in on the offensive end. We've got to know and be very familiar with our offense so we execute and don't beat ourselves. We can't be a team that turns the ball over, doesn't screen, doesn't cut hard. There will be a huge focal point this week on executing the offense and to make sure we get a shot every time down the floor."

Sergio Kerusch, Junior Forward
On the team's attitude coming into the game:
"We've been waiting for this game for a long time. There were a lot of practices and hard work that went in to it. We were just ready to go out and play against an opponent and show the Hilltopper fans what we are made of."

On the team playing with confidence together:
"The thing about this team is that we are all about championship effort. We are about winning as a cohesive unit. We just want to do whatever it takes to win. Cliff [Dixon] was diving on the ground for loose balls, Nemanja [Milosevic] took three charges and [Anthony] Sally was throwing balls behind his head. It was just everybody wanting to play their roles. It was just like everybody put it together tonight and did our best to go out and get this win."

Cliff Dixon, Junior Forward/Center
On the mindset coming off the bench:
"[The mindset] was to just try and pick up where my teammates left off. We worked hard in the offseason and put in a lot of work. We've been waiting on this game for a long time. With me coming in from a junior college, the pace of the game is going to be different. The whole team helped me out with the pace. I just tried to come in and keep my head up."

On getting the first game under his belt:
"I saw my name on the back of my jersey, and once I saw that, I knew it was real. When I went out there, it was just amazing to see all of those people in the stands. I am here for two years, so I wanted to come in and let the fans know that I'm going to come in here and work hard and do whatever it takes to win."

Anthony Sally, Senior Guard
On establishing a flow offensively:
"I set a goal this year to average 10 assists per game. With the players that we have, I feel like I can do that by just penetrating and dishing the ball off like I was tonight."

On getting teammates involved in the offense:
"I like to pass, and everybody knows that I pass first. But they got mad at me tonight when I didn't shoot. There was one time when I had a wide open lay-up and passed it off to Cliff [Dixon]. I'm a pass-first guy, but if I get a shot then I'll take it. I would rather hit somebody else so they can get their shot off."