INDIANAPOLIS — If Xavier's defense didn't live up to its billing, it's partly because Kareem Rush lived up to his.

        The Missouri junior looked every bit the All-American he's supposed to be, ripping XU for 24 points and 12 rebounds Saturday in the Tigers' 72-60 victory. XU coach Thad Matta doesn't blame his defense.

        “I thought we were a good defensive team, and I still believe that,” Matta said. “I just hope we don't run into too many more Kareem Rushes for a while.”

        Rush was 11-of-21 shooting and at times was harassed into bad shots. On the shots he made, he was still well-guarded.

        “That was one of the best performances I've seen,” Matta said of Rush. “I thought the guys guarding him were there. He just made the shots.”

        XU played man-to-man defense, with sophomore Romain Sato guarding Rush much of the night. Sato forced Rush into three first-half air balls and stripped him once.

        But Rush made the big shots when it mattered, including baskets on two separate occasions in the second half when XU closed within two points.

        Missouri, as a whole, had a big offensive night Saturday.

        “I think our offense is ahead of our defense right now,” Missouri coach Quin Snyder said.

        SMALL ROTATION: Saturday was the first sign that Matta might be leaning toward a small rotation. He played all nine scholarship players, but all five starters played 30 or more minutes.

        Only one sub played 10 or more minutes: Keith Jackson, with 14 minutes. Jaison Williams played just four minutes and Anthony Coleman just one.

        “Where they hurt us tonight was with size,” Matta said of Missouri. “They've got a couple more (reserve) guys with size, and we're asking Dave West to play 39 minutes and Kevin (Frey) to play (32).”

        Dave Young's 30 minutes were a career high.

        RECRUIT STARS: XU signee Brandon Cole was the hero of Richton Park (Ill.) Rich South's victory in the Proviso West Tournament final Wednesday in Chicago. The 6-foot-7 power forward scored 30 points in a 65-62 victory over the host school, including the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

        THUMBS UP: In his preseason awards for ESPN Magazine, Dick Vitale includes Matta in his five-man “All-SportsCenter” team of rising young coaches. The other four: Western Kentucky's Dennis Felton, Texas El-Paso's Jason Rabedeaux, Central Michigan's Jay Smith and Marshall's Greg White.

        Vitale names David West a second-team All-American.

        UP NEXT: XU visits Miami University (1-1) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. It will be another homecoming game for Matta, who had two separate stints as a Miami assistant, one serving alongside current MU coach Charlie Coles (on Herb Sendek's staff) and one serving under Coles.

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