Gold Rush extend longest NAIA poll streak of Jackson era

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was 16th in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll announced Tuesday. The Gold Rush are in the top 25 for the 15th consecutive time — the program's longest streak since the start of the 1999-2000 season, which also makes it the longest streak during Dannton Jackson's 10 seasons as head coach.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 28th time in 29 polls.

This is the fourth poll of 2012-13, the third of the regular season and the first since Dec. 11. The Gold Rush were 16th in the previous poll.

Voting was based on games through Sunday. Xavier won 70-66 at Talladega the following day to improve to 14-3 overall and 2-0 in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. The Gold Rush share first place in the GCAC with Philander Smith, which received votes and tied for 28th place.

The Gold Rush won 5-of-6 games between polls, with the only loss a 72-71 decision at then-No. 10 William Carey. The Crusaders are sixth in this week's poll.

GCAC and city rival SUNO, which was 25th in the previous poll, dropped out.

The next poll will be announced Jan. 15.

Xavier will play its next four games at XU's new Convocation Center, including Tougaloo at 5 p.m. Saturday and SUNO at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, Jan. 6) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Cumberlands (7) 15-1 276 2 2 Columbia (Mo.) (4) 16-0 265 6 3 Lewis-Clark State 18-0 264 11 4 Oklahoma Baptist 14-2 258 1 5 Pikeville 15-1 254 4 6 William Carey 13-2 229 10 7 Lee (Tenn.) 13-1 221 3 8 Westmont 12-3 218 5 9 Science & Arts 8-2 195 14 10-tie Montana State Northern 15-2 186 tie-22 10-tie Cal State San Marcos 13-4 186 15 10-tie Texas College 13-2 186 24 13 Evangel 11-4 171 18 14 Lindsey Wilson 15-2 166 8 15 Concordia (Calif.) 11-3 158 19 16 Xavier 13-3 148 16 17 Bethel (Tenn.) 14-2 143 17 18 Westminster (Utah) 13-3 128 7 19 Rogers State 12-4 127 9 20 Emmanuel (Ga.) 15-2 117 NR 21 Southwestern Assemblies of God 12-3 94 RV 22 Oklahoma City 8-2 81 tie-22 23 Faulkner 14-3 78 21 24 Campbellsville 14-3 61 RV 25 John Brown 12-3 60 RV Others receiving votes: MidAmerica Nazarene 55, The Master's 47, Texas Wesleyan 35, Philander Smith 35, Hope International 27, SUNO 8, Our Lady of the Lake 6, Great Falls 5.

By Ed Cassiere, SID
XULAATHLETICS
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA