Bob Hill uses the expression “whiskey drinkers” when describing some of Xavier's players. It's important to note that it's a compliment and, since some of the Musketeers are under the legal drinking age, that it's just an expression.

Keith Jackson hangs onto the basket after a slam dunk. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        “They're like whiskey drinkers; that's what you've got to have,” the Fordham coach said. “You don't want to have too many milk drinkers. You want to have some whiskey drinkers, some guys that will go out there not afraid to throw an elbow and knock a guy down or whatever it's going to take.”

        Hill cited Romain Sato, David West and Lionel Chalmers as XU's “whiskey drinkers,” and that trio packed a punch Wednesday in an 88-58 XU victory over the visiting Rams.

        Sato scored a season-high 24 points, including 6-of-12 3-point shooting, and Chalmers added 20 points. West totaled 14 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and four steals.

        It was the fifth consecutive victory for XU (10-3, 2-0 Atlantic 10), which leads the A-10 West Division, a half-game ahead of Richmond (7-7, 1-0), which visits Cintas Center on Saturday.

        XU's roll has coincided with an increased aggression that shows up most noticeably in its stellar defense. Hill's point is that the Musketeers are playing with a chip on their collective shoulder.

        “Dennis Rodman was the greatest whiskey drinker in the history of basketball,” Hill said. “Whatever it took, he would do. You don't have to be like Dennis (in off-the-court antics), but you have to have that edge. And they've got that; that's going to help them.”

        Lately, XU had been winning ugly because its shooting was so-so. But XU made a season-high 11 3-pointers Wednesday, hitting 40.7 percent from that distance (11-of-27) on a night it hit 47.8 percent overall.

        Sato made four of his 3-pointers and Chalmers one of his three in the first 10 minutes, helping XU to a 21-12 lead. Both further emerged from mild scoring slumps that they came out of last Saturday at Dayton, when Sato had 19 points and Chalmers 14.

        “We took what they gave us,” Chalmers said. “That's what Coach (Thad Matta) wants us to do.”

        XU continued its stellar defensive season by holding the Rams (4-9, 0-2) to 37.7 percent shooting and forcing 22 turnovers. Hill punched a hole in the locker-room blackboard and broke a stool at halftime, but it failed to rally his team from a nine-point deficit.

        Hill said his team quit on itself in the second half, and he heaped praise on the Musketeers:

        “David West is truly a great player. Chalmers is growing up. He was crazy and wild a year ago, and he still gets out of control once in awhile, but he has gotten better. As soon as (Kevin) Frey makes a couple shots (he was 1-of-7 Wednesday), then they're going to be that much better off. They're truly a team.”

        XU got nice play from its bench: Keith Jackson scored eight points, and Jaison Williams totaled a career-high six assists.

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