The differences between Head Coach Ken McDonald’s first and second seasons began to reveal themselves Tuesday night.

A year and two days after edging Bellarmine 70-65 in their final exhibition game of 2008, the Toppers started an exhibition with visiting Xavier (La.) with a 14-0 run and finished with a 90-37 rout.

McDonald expressed enthusiasm about this team’s depth compared to last season, when the Toppers used only six players in their final exhibition game of the preseason.

“I’m enjoying looking down the bench a lot more right now than I was a year ago,” McDonald said. “Energy is probably a word you can use to define us if we’re going to have a good season because with guys coming off the bench — and I think I had the luxury of going nine, 10, 11 deep at times — it allows those starters to take it to another level.”

Every member of Western’s active 12-man roster recorded a point, led by junior forward Sergio Kerusch’s 19-point, eight-rebound effort in 17 minutes of play. Senior guard A.J. Slaughter’s 24 minutes were a team high.

Kerush scored the first points of both halves, drawing from the anticipation of a full offseason of hype, he said.

“We’ve been waiting for this game for a long time — all the practices and all the hard work that went into it,” Kerusch said. “We were just ready to get out and play an opponent. We were like, ‘Let’s show the Hilltopper fans what we’re made of.”

The Gold Rush were locked down from the start offensively. The Toppers led the entire game, holding Xavier to 16 points at the half.

Junior forward Cliff Dixon put up 17 points in his first game for the Toppers but said his team-high three blocked shots showed how much the Hutchinson Community College transfer is ready to provide on both sides of the ball.

“It was big — I mean, I’ve got my my name on the back of my jersey,” Dixon said. “I’m here for two years, so I just wanted to let them know that I’m going to come here, work hard and do whatever it takes to win.”

Senior guard Anthony Sally recorded 11 assists — one more than his goal of 10 for the game, he said — and the Western defense forced the Gold Rush into 21 turnovers compared to three assists.

Xavier, whose roster contains six freshman, were led by senior guard Ryan DeRousselle’s 9 points.