Showing posts with label GCAC Basketball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GCAC Basketball. Show all posts

Sunday, December 18, 2011

SUNO's Moore gets second Player of the Week honor in a row

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- SUNO's Clyde Moore, a junior guard, has been selected the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball Player of the Week for a second consecutive week. Moore led the Knights in scoring for the week with 38 points. He averaged 19 points per game, shooting 70% from the field. Moore also led in total rebounds with 14 while getting three steals for the week. Moore also made 71% of his foul shots for the week.

In an 84-78 loss to Loyola, Moore scored 15 points, grabbed seven total rebounds, had an assist, and registered one of the team's two blocks on the night. He shot four for seven from the field and made seven of his nine free throws for the night.

In the Knights' 95-82 victory over Johnson & Wales (Fla.), the Jackson, Mississippi native led in scoring with 23 points. He got seven boards, two assists, and two steals. Moore went ten of 13 from the field and made three of his five foul shots.

Tougaloo's Craft Receives GCAC Player of the Week Honors

Portia Craft, Sophomore Guard
McComb, Mississippi
 TOUGALOO, Mississippi -- The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference recently announced its men's and women's GCAC Players of the Week for the week ending December 11, 2011. Portia Craft, a sophomore guard from Magnolia, MS and a member of the Tougaloo College Women's Basketball team received the women's GCAC Player of the Week Honors.

No stranger to the GCAC, Craft receives this player of the week honor for her performance in leading the Lady Bulldogs past then #23 Belhaven University on Saturday, December 10, 2011. Craft's 21 points led the Lady Bulldogs to a 64-60 win. Craft also received player of the week honors earlier this season for her performance in leading the Lady Bulldogs past Division I SWAC Jackson State University. Craft is also the reigning GCAC Co-Freshman of the Year.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Xavier rallies past Shorter in matchup of ranked NAIA teams

NEW ORLEANS -- Brandi Young scored 10 of her 12 points in the second half Saturday to help Xavier University of Louisiana rally for a 56-51 women's basketball victory against Shorter.

The Gold Nuggets (7-3), ranked 16th in NAIA Division I, won their third in a row and gave the 21st-ranked Lady Hawks (8-1) their first loss of the season.

Xavier never led in the first half and trailed 31-28 at halftime, then took the lead for good with a 13-1 run in the first 3½ minutes of the second half. Young, Jazmoné Kelly and Jasmine Grant made two baskets apiece during the burst, with Young's 2-pointer giving Xavier its largest lead, 41-32, with 16:55 remaining.

Grant and SiMon Franklin scored 10 points apiece for Xavier, which defeated a ranked opponent for the first time in three tries this season.

Kelly Ellison, the NAIA leader in assists per game, had 14 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and three steals for Shorter. Robyn Foster had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Brittney Smith had 10 points, six rebounds, two blocked shots and three steals. Ellison and Foster each made three 3-pointers. Shorter was within one point of Xavier on three occasions in the final 14 minutes, the last at 50-49 when Abbie Daniel made the second of two technical free throws. Young answered with a basket for a 52-49 lead, followed by a Shorter turnover and three XU offensive rebounds before Chelsea Broussard scored for a 54-49 Xavier advantage with 3:01 to play.

Smith scored Shorter's final two points with 2:04 remaining. Ellison committed a turnover and missed the front end of a 1-and-1 in the Lady Hawks' next two possessions before Franklin clinched the game with two free throws with seven seconds remaining.

Xavier outshot Shorter 35.8 to 33.9 percent from the floor and offset the Lady Hawks' eight 3-pointers by outscoring them 15-5 in free throws. Xavier had a 38-33 rebound advantage, with Kelly grabbing eight. Franklin and Kelly had five steals apiece, with Franklin recording a career high and Kelly matching her season best.

The Gold Nuggets will break for fall semester examinations, then resume their schedule Dec. 17 with a 2 p.m. game at city rival Loyola.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

Lady Bleu Devils' Jazzmin Smith and Ariel Mitchell lead Dillard to victory over University of New Orleans

Ariel Mitchell
 Point Guard
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - Jazzmin Smith scored 22 points and grabbed 7 rebounds and Ariel Mitchell chipped in with 15 points and 7 rebounds as the Dillard Lady Bleu Devils defeated the UNO Lady Privateers 66-63 on Thursday afternoon on the Battlefield in Dent Hall.

In what was a highly contested and tight game throughout, the Lady Bleu Devils (2-4) held on for the improbable victory.

From the opening tip, the Lady Bleu Devils were determined to pound the Lady Privateers inside with their size advantage. The Lady Bleu Devils grabbed an early 8-3 on the strength of Jazzmin Smith's inside game and Ariel Mitchell's shooting from the outside. The Lady Privateers (0-8) roared back, using a 9-3 run to tie the game at 12-12. The Lady Bleu Devils tightened their defense and reclaimed the lead and went into halftime up 34-27.

In the second half, both teams turned up their defense intensity. The Lady Bleu Devils held on to the lead until a basket by the Lady Privateers' Keri Thomas gave UNO their first lead of the game at 47-46 with just under twelve minutes to play. Scores by Jazzmin Smith and Ariel Mitchell helped the Lady Bleu Devils reclaim the lead, but the Lady Privateers would not give up. The Lady Privateers would reclaim the lead 59-57 until two free throws and a layup by the Lady Bleu Devils' Jazzmin Smith gave Dillard a 61-59 lead. The Lady Privateers would again grab the lead until Ariel Mitchell hit a jumper with 46 seconds left to give the Lady Bleu Devils their final lead and Dillard held on for the victory.

The Lady Bleu Devils shot 50% from the field in the second half. The Lady Bleu Devil defense forced the Lady Privateers into 20 turnovers in the victory.



The Lady Bleu Devils will have a week layoff to prepare for the Loyola Lady Wolfpack on Friday, December 9th at 5:30p.m. The game will be played at the University Sports Complex on the campus of Loyola University.

By Dillard Sports Information
VISIT: DILLARD UNIVERSITY
VISIT: DILLARDBLEUDEVILS

Tougaloo Bulldogs Escape Belhaven 72-70

Tougaloo College Bulldogs
Legendary Head Men's Basketball Coach
Mr. Lafayette Stribling


TOUGALOO, Mississippi - The Tougaloo College Men's Basketball team hosted cross town rival Belhaven University in Day 2 of the Tougaloo College Classic here at the Dawg Pound. The Bulldogs escaped Blazers 72-70 to take the win.

After a tough loss to Freed Hardeman University last night, the Bulldogs were determined to win against Belhaven tonight.

The Bulldogs would struggle early in the first half, as the Blazers would take an early lead. The Bulldogs would try to find some kind of momentum, but they would continue to struggle all the way through the first half and the Blazers would take a 33-26 halftime lead.

In the second half, however, the Bulldogs would find their momentum and take control of the game, fighting their way back to gain the lead. The Bulldogs would maintain the lead for the majority of the half, but the Blazers just would not give up.

With 11.3 seconds left in the game, the score tied at 70, and the Bulldogs possession, Tougaloo's Marquise Mems would fly down the court in hopes of a fast lay up. The ball would hit the side of the rim, Horace Whitehead would get the rebound and put it back up, the ball would pop back out, Mems would get the rebound and put it back up, but it would come out again. With the time winding down, Tougaloo's Erik Burks would get the rebound and quick put back at the buzzer to give the Bulldogs the win over the Blazers.

Marquise Mems led the Bulldogs with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Kadon Day chipped in 15 points and 10 rebounds, Horace Whitehead tacked in 15 points, and Donteeno Todd added 10 points for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs will be back in action on December 14, 2011 as the host Concordia College Selma. Tip-off is set for 7:30 P.M.

By Eric Pilcher
VISIT: TOUGALOO COLLEGE BULLDOGS

Thursday, December 1, 2011

XU Gold Nuggets are a finalist for the 2012 HBCU Awards

Xavier's women's basketball accomplishments in 2010-11 helped
the Gold Nuggets become a finalist for the 2012 HBCU Awards.
Head Coach: Robert "Bo" Browder (13th Season)
Associate Head Coach: Darrilyn Broussard

(Click on photo to enlarge)
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's women's basketball program is a finalist for the 2012 HBCU Awards.

The Gold Nuggets are one of four finalists for women's team of the year — the others are Maryland Eastern Shore bowling, Florida A&M volleyball and Shaw basketball. Criteria for the finalists were winning a conference championship, maintaining good standing with graduation and academic progress rates and serving as a goodwill vehicle for their institutions during the 2010-11 academic year.

Winners will be announced at an April 20 ceremony at Bowie

Xavier's women's basketball accomplishments in 2010-11 helped the Gold Nuggets become a finalist for the 2012 HBCU Awards.

State University in Bowie, Md. A panel of chancellors and presidents from HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) named the finalists and will select the winners.

This is the second year of the awards, which are sponsored by the Center for HBCU Media Advocacy Inc. Awards also will be presented for leadership, arts, research and community engagement.

Bo Browder is in his 13th season as the Gold Nuggets' head coach, and associate head coach Darrilyn Broussard is in her 11th season on the staff. During their time together they've compiled a 266-79 record with five Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championships, five GCAC Tournament championships and nine appearances at the NAIA Division I National Championship. (Browder is 304-105 overall at Xavier.) Of the 39 senior student-athletes to play for Browder at Xavier, 38 received degrees from Xavier or are still enrolled.

Xavier, 6-3 and ranked 16th in NAIA Division I, will play 21st-ranked Shorter at 2 p.m. Saturday at The Barn in a PSBlive.com webcast.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS 
VISIT: GCACSPORTS 

This Week
at The Barn
Saturday, December 3 — Women's Basketball vs. Shorter, 2 p.m. live webcast live stats 
Saturday, December 3 — Men's Basketball vs. Concordia (Ala.), 4 p.m. live webcastlive stats

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Loyola controls second half and beats Gold Rush 66-59

The 2011-12 Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball team.
(Click here for Roster and Schedule)
Head Coach: Dannton Jackson (ninth season)
Assistant Coach: Alfred Williams
(click photo to enlarge)
 NEW ORLEANS -- Robert Lovaglio had 15 points and 11 rebounds Tuesday, leading four Loyola scorers in double figures in a 66-59 men's basketball victory against NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana at The Barn.

Corey Gray scored 13 points for the Wolfpack (6-2), and Cameron Cates and Steve Davis scored 10 apiece.

Nick Haywood scored 14 points and Wanto Joseph 10 for Xavier (4-2), which has lost two straight.

An 8-0 Loyola run in the final 4½ minutes of the first half tied the score at 20. The Wolfpack led for all but 38 seconds of the second half and took the lead for good at 42-40 on Kyle Simmons' two free throws with 8:41 remaining.

Xavier outshot Loyola 44.2 to 36.7 percent from the floor, but the Wolfpack had the advantage at the line, making 28-of-37 free throws to the Gold Rush's 16-of-27. Loyola made 22-of-30 from the line in the second half, Xavier missed seven free throws in the final eight minutes. Loyola made 9-of-10 free throws in the final 1:46.

Haywood, the reigning Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week, made three 3-pointers to give him 10 in the past two games.

Lovaglio, the first Loyola player in five seasons to record a double-double against Xavier, grabbed nine first-half rebounds and helped the Wolfpack finish with a 36-28 advantage.

The loss was the second in Xavier's past 25 home games and 41 non-conference home games. Loyola snapped Xavier's 20-game home win streak against non-conference opponents and won for the fifth time in 34 meetings with its city rival.

Xavier will play Concordia (Ala.) at 4 p.m. Saturday at The Barn.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS 
VISIT: GCACSPORTS 

This Week
at The Barn
Saturday, December 3 — Women's Basketball vs. Shorter, 2 p.m. live webcast live stats 
Saturday, December 3 — Men's Basketball vs. Concordia (Ala.), 4 p.m. live webcastlive stats

Xavier's Nick Haywood selected GCAC Player of the Week


Nick Haywood
NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Nick Haywood is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball for Nov. 21-27.

Haywood, a 6-foot junior guard from Monroe, La., and a graduate of Ouachita High School, scored 26 points and made seven 3-pointers Saturday in Xavier's 78-67 loss at Wiley. The points were the most by a Gold Rush player since Michael Harvey scored 27 at home against Tougaloo on Feb. 8, 2010, and the 3-pointers were the most since Mark Stewart made a school-record-tying eight at Mobile on March 7, 2008.

Haywood, who did not start against Wiley, played 29 minutes and was 7-of-17 from the floor and 7-of-13 on 3-pointers. He made all five of his free throws.

This is Haywood's first year at Xavier after playing at NCAA Division I Houston the past two seasons. Through five games he ranks third on the Gold Rush with 9.4 points per game and leads the team with nine made 3-pointers. He averages 17.5 minutes.

The Gold Rush have earned two GCAC player awards this season. Junior forward Denzell Erves received the other for Oct. 31-Nov. 6.

Xavier, 4-1 and ranked 21st in NAIA Division I, will play twice at home this week — against city rival Loyola at 7:30 tonight and against Concordia (Ala.) at 4 p.m. Saturday.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS 
VISIT: GCACSPORTS 

This Week
at The Barn
Saturday, December 3 — Women's Basketball vs. Shorter, 2 p.m. live webcast live stats 
Saturday, December 3 — Men's Basketball vs. Concordia (Ala.), 4 p.m. live webcastlive stats

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Miller, Joseph help unbeaten Rush win 80-71 at Mobile

MOBILE, Alabama — Kevin Miller scored a career-high 20 points Monday, and Wanto Joseph had a season-high 16 to lead NAIA No. 21 Xavier University of Louisiana to an 80-71 men's basketball victory at Mobile.

The Gold Rush (3-0) took the lead for good in the 18th minute when Miller grabbed an offensive rebound, then passed to Jamaan Kenner for a 3-pointer and a 37-35 advantage. Xavier led 44-41 at halftime and held its biggest lead, 73-59, on an Anthony Simmons basket with 2:39 remaining.

Miller reached double figures for the first time this season and shattered his previous career best of 13 points. Joseph, a 5-foot-9 reserve point guard and the team's shortest player, is the only XU player to reach double figures in all three regular-season games.

Ji Kimbrough scored 27 points, 17 in the first half, and made 14-of-14 free throws for Mobile (2-1), and Jonathan Tinch scored 15. The Rams were the preseason favorite in the Southern States Athletic Conference West Division.

Both teams shot 44 percent from the floor. Xavier made 28-of-37 free throws, and Mobile made 20-of-24. Cordell Hadnot grabbed a season-best eight rebounds for Xavier, which had a 35-30 advantage on the boards.

Eleven Gold Rush players scored, including Simmons with nine points and seven rebounds and Kenner with season highs of eight points and two 3-pointers.

Brock Dockery's basket with 18:18 remaining reduced Xavier's lead to 47-45, but the Rush followed with an 11-2 run which included a Miller 3-pointer, two Denzell Erves baskets and three Chris Iles assists. Xavier led by at least seven points for the final 8:52.

The Gold Rush have won four straight and seven of eight against Mobile and lead the series 29-26. The teams will meet again Dec. 6 at The Barn.

Xavier will play Wiley for homecoming at 2 p.m. Saturday at The Barn, and PSBlive.com will webcast that game and the XU women's contest against Huston-Tillotson at noon.

NOTES: Kimbrough scored eight points in the final 2:31 after Xavier established its largest lead . . . The Gold Rush are 3-0 for the 10th consecutive season . . . The XU men have won 34 of their past 41 games and are 10-3 on opponents' courts during that time . . . Xavier's four consecutive victories against Mobile match its longest streak in the series . . . It's the first time in 10 games that either team reached 80 points in the series, and it's the first time in 13 games that both teams reached 70 . . . Iles, a 17-point scorer Friday at home against St. Thomas (Fla.), didn't score again after making 2-of-2 free throws in the second minute. He's 12-of-12 from the line this season and has made 16 in a row dating to this past season . . . Simmons grabbed five offensive rebounds, giving him 14 in three games. Simmons needed nine games in 2010-11 to reach 14 offensive rebounds . . . The Gold Rush are 10-1 against five former Gulf Coast Athletic Conference opponents — Mobile, Belhaven, Loyola, Spring Hill and William Carey — since they left the league in the summer of 2010 to join the Southern States. Xavier, Belhaven, Spring Hill and William Carey were GCAC charter members in 1981-82.

Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: GCACSPORTS

NEXT GAME:  Saturday, November 19 — Women's Basketball vs. Huston-Tillotson, noon    FREE VIDEO STREAMING -- live on internet   •   live stats
Saturday, November 19 — Men's Basketball vs. Wiley, 2 p.m.  FREE VIDEO STREAMING -- live on internet   •   live stats


Sunday, November 13, 2011

XU Gold Nuggets come from 16 down to win at Georgetown (Ky.)

GEORGETOWN, Kentucky -- Senior center Keldra Hall scored eight points during a closing rally Saturday which lifted NAIA No. 16 Xavier University to a 79-76 women's basketball victory against host Georgetown in the Chick-fil-A Classic.

The Gold Nuggets (3-1) trailed by 16 points late in the first half, 41-28 at halftime and 70-61 with 4:09 remaining before an 18-6 run in which they scored on their final eight possessions.

Hall had a pair of 3-point plays during the rally, with the second putting Xavier ahead to stay at 71-70 with 1:54 remaining.

"It's hard on the road," Xavier coach Bo Browder said. "But the Gold Nuggets know how to fight!"

Hall finished with 10 points and five rebounds. Brandi Young scored 17 points -- including 2-of-2 3-pointers and 9-of-10 free throws -- Jasmine Grant scored 12 and Carmen Holcombe and Jessica Savannah had 11 apiece. Grant made 4-of-8 3-pointers. Holcombe added a career-high eight rebounds and Savannah, a freshman, did not miss any of her seven shots.

Grant's final 3-pointer followed a Holcombe steal and gave Xavier a 74-70 lead with 1:42 remaining. Young made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 12 seconds.

It was the first time in five years that the Nuggets won despite surrendering 75 or more points.

Andrea Howard had 19 points and six rebounds for Georgetown (4-1). Mikkah Rogers scored a season-high 18 points. Jessica Waddle had 17 points and five rebounds, and Devon Golden had 10 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.

Howard scored 15 first-half points and passed to Waddle for a 3-pointer which gave the Tigers their biggest lead, 41-26, with 27 seconds remaining in the first half. Grant answered with a 3-pointer on the next possession.

Georgetown outshot the Nuggets 39.6 to 35.3 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 46-35.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

XU Gold Rush rally in second half to defeat Bobcats

NEW ORLEANS -- Another home victory, another free-throw feast. It was more of the same Friday for the Xavier University of Louisiana men's basketball team.

Chris Iles scored 17 points, Anthony Simmons 16 and Wanto Joseph 10 to lead Xavier, ranked 21st in NAIA Division I, to a 69-59 decision over St. Thomas (Fla.) at The Barn.

The Gold Rush (2-0) rallied from a 34-30 halftime deficit, outscored the Bobcats 33-7 in free throws -- 11-0 in the second half -- and won for the 22nd time in the past 23 home games.

Xavier attempted 48 free throws and improved to 31-0 since November 2009 when making more free throws than opponents. Iles, the team's most accurate free-throw shooter this past season, was 10-of-10 from the line, all in the first half. Joseph made 8-of-12 free throws, and Kevin Miller was 4-of-4.

Simmons scored 11 second-half points, and his basket with 8:48 remaining put the Gold Rush ahead to stay at 49-47. That followed 16 ties and 12 lead changes.

Joseph's free throws with 27 seconds remaining gave the XU men their biggest lead, 67-55, and capped a 10-0 run which covered nearly 3½ minutes.

Jeffery Remmington scored 16 points and Dylan O'Sullivan 15 for the Bobcats (1-2), who lost Thursday at Loyola. Both players had nine first-half points.

St. Thomas, an NAIA Division II member, outshot Xavier 44.4 to 39.5 percent from the floor. Both teams grabbed 27 rebounds, and the Gold Rush committed 19 turnovers and gained 25.

The Bobcats were assessed with 33 fouls, two less than they committed at Loyola.

The Gold Rush and Bobcats will meet again Dec. 29 in the St. Thomas Classic. Next for Xavier will be a 7:30 p.m. Tuesday game at Mobile.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Friday, November 11, 2011

Midnight Madness Highlight @ Xavier University of Louisiana

Friday, November 11 — Men's Basketball vs. St. Thomas (Fla.), 6 p.m.   live stats
Saturday, November 19 — Women's Basketball vs. Huston-Tillotson, noon   live on internet   •   live stats
Saturday, November 19 — Men's Basketball vs. Wiley, 2 p.m.   live on internet   •   live stats

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Xavier loses 73-61 to Western Kentucky in road exhibition

BOWLING GREEN, Kentucky — Derrick Gordon scored 17 points Saturday to lead Western Kentucky to a 73-61 men's basketball victory against Xavier University of Louisiana.

It was the third consecutive year that the Hilltoppers, an NCAA Division I member, beat the NAIA-member Gold Rush in an exhibition, but this was the closest of the three margins. Western Kentucky won by 53 points in 2009 and by 15 points in 2010.

T.J. Price scored 12 points for WKU, and Nigel Snipes and Kahlil McDonald had 11 apiece. Snipes grabbed 11 rebounds.

Wanto Joseph had 11 points, four rebounds and three assists and was Xavier's lone double-figure scorer. Kevin Miller had nine points and five rebounds, and Chris Iles and Renard Smith scored eight points apiece.

Xavier, ranked 21st in NAIA Division I, trailed 41-25 at halftime but outscored the Hilltoppers 36-32 in the second half. Iles made the second of two free throws with 3:28 remaining to cut WKU's margin to 63-56, but the Hilltoppers scored the next six points to clinch the victory.

WKU outshot Xavier 41.1 to 40 percent from the floor, committed 13 turnovers and gained 27. The Gold Rush had a 39-36 rebound advantage even though two of Xavier's tallest players, Denzell Erves and Anthony Simmons, fouled out. WKU outscored Xavier 23-16 in free throws.

The Hilltopers led 4-0 through the first 2:15, then the Gold Rush scored eight consecutive points — five by Erves and three by Miller — to take an 8-4 lead. WKU responded with a 9-0 run before Xavier took its final lead, 16-15, when Nick Haywood passed to Smith for a 3-pointer at 11:16.

WKU had a 10-0 run in the final 3:22 of the first half, then took its biggest lead, 45-27, on Price's basket in the paint with 17:33 remaining.

Xavier will stay on the road for a 7 p.m. Monday exhibition at seventh-ranked Vanderbilt.


GALLERY: Men's Basketball vs. Xavier
Box score

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Xavier Gold Nuggets No. 16, their best preseason rank since '04

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana is No. 16 in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 announced Monday. It's the Gold Nuggets' highest preseason ranking since the 2004-05 season, when they were 15th.

Xavier, 27-7 this past season and two-time defending Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament champion, returns 13 letterwomen and three starters. The Nuggets will attempt to reach 20 victories for the 19th time in 20 seasons and qualify for the NAIA Division I National Championship for the 16th time in 18 seasons. This past season the Gold Nuggets reached the second round of nationals for the first time since 2003.

Xavier was 22nd in the 2010-11 preseason. It's the first time since a four-year streak from 2001-04 that the Nuggets are preseason top-25 in consecutive years.

Three XU opponents this season — No. 3 Oklahoma City, No. 19 Langston and No. 21 Shorter — also are ranked. Langston will visit the Nuggets on Nov. 25, and Shorter will visit Dec. 3 and play host to the Nuggets on Jan. 4. Xavier will play Oklahoma City in Las Vegas on Dec. 20.

The other GCAC team to receive votes was SUNO, which collected nine points and ranks 34th. Xavier will play host to the Lady Knights on Jan. 10 and visit SUNO on Feb. 6. Three others which received votes — Southern Poly, Georgetown (Ky.) and city rival Loyola — also will play the Nuggets this season.

Defending champion Azusa Pacific received all 12 first-place votes to end the 48-poll No. 1 streak of Union (Ky.), which lost 65-59 to Azusa in the national championship game on March 22.

The first regular-season poll will be announced Dec. 5.

Xavier will travel to SEC opponent LSU for a Nov. 2 exhibition, then open the regular season Nov. 4 against Florida Memorial at The Barn. Both games will tip off at 7 p.m.


NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25(first-place votes in parentheses — includes 2010-11 final records)
RankTeamRecordPointsLast
1Azusa Pacific (12)33-53123
2Union (Tenn.)35-23021
3Oklahoma City27-42904
4Shawnee State27-10280tie-24
5Lewis-Clark State29-526610
6-tieFreed-Hardeman27-92487
6-tieBethel (Tenn.)27-72486
8Campbellsville30-42342
9Westminster (Utah)28-72228
10Vanguard18-1122119
11Southern Nazarene27-722018
12Olivet Nazarene26-620216
13Saint Xavier24-617912
14Lindsey Wilson24-917515
15Lee (Tenn.)25-7174tie-13
16Xavier27-716620
17Lubbock Christian23-1015822
18Columbia (Mo.)28-615711
19Langston28-5152tie-13
20Westmont20-1012423
21Shorter24-8110RV
22Evangel21-985tie-24
23William Woods30-57721
24Rogers State23-1072RV
25Belhaven24-958RV

Others receiving votes: The Master's 57, Carroll (Mont.) 39, Cumberlands 26, Southern Poly 22, Robert Morris (Chicago) 18, Avila 15, Point Loma Nazarene 11, Texas Wesleyan 10; SUNO 9, Loyola 7, Wayland Baptist 5, John Brown 4, Biola 3, Voorhees 1, Rocky Mountain 1, Benedictine (Kan.) 1, Georgetown (Ky.) 1.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS

XU Gold Rush in preseason top 25 for 2nd straight season

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana is No. 21 in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 announced Monday. It's the first time in coach Dannton Jackson's nine seasons that the Gold Rush are preseason top-25 in consecutive years.

Xavier, 27-6 and the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament runner-up this past season, returns nine lettermen and four starters. The Rush will attempt to qualify for the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championship for the sixth time in eight seasons. This past season the XU men won their first 13 games and qualified for nationals with their most victories since the 1983-84 season.

Xavier was 20th in the 2010-11 preseason and spent three weeks in the top 10.

The other GCAC team to receive votes was defending tournament champion Tougaloo, which is 13th. Xavier will visit Tougaloo on Jan. 23 and play host to the Bulldogs on Feb. 13. Two teams which received votes, Mobile and William Carey, will play Xavier in home-and-away non-conference series this season.

Defending champion Pikeville is the preseason No. 1 after receiving five of 12 first-place votes. Four other teams received first-place votes.

Earlier in the day Xavier's women's team earned a preseason No. 16 ranking. That makes Xavier one of four NAIA Division I schools — the others are Azusa Pacific, Evangel and Union (Tenn.) — with men's and women's basketball teams to earn preseason top-25 rankings in 2010-11 and 2011-12.

The Gold Rush will open the season at 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at The Barn against Carver College of Atlanta.

The first regular-season poll will be announced Dec. 5.


  
NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25(first-place votes in parentheses — includes 2010-11 final records)
RankTeamRecordPointsLast
1Pikeville (5)30-730024
2Mountain State (3)33-42953
3Robert Morris (Chicago) (2)32-22931
4Concordia (Calif.) (1)32-42882
5Martin Methodist (1)34-32686
6LSU-Shreveport30-42554
7Oklahoma Baptist24-92549
8Georgetown (Ky.)32-52407
9Azusa Pacific29-62338
10Texas Wesleyan30-42236
11Rogers State22-1220225
12Shorter23-8188RV
13Tougaloo27-418511
14Columbia (Mo.)26-616618
15-tieBiola28-615813
15-tieMontana State Northern24-915819
17St. Catharine22-914914
18Southern Nazarene26-814110
19Evangel26-913215
20Southern Poly23-10121RV
21Xavier27-69417
22Union (Tenn.)26-78812
23Carroll (Mont.)23-97522
24Saint Xavier19-1366NR
25Fresno Pacific20-1163RV

Others receiving votes: Park 55, Lee (Tenn.) 45, MidAmerica Nazarene 33, Mobile 31, Oklahoma Christian 26, Campbellsville 24, Our Lady of the Lake 22, Freed-Hardeman 21, Life 16, MontanaWestern 12, Westminster (Utah) 3, William Carey 1, Northwestern Oklahoma 1, St. Francis (Ill.) 1, Benedictine (Kan.) 1, Westmont 1, Emmanuel (Ga.) 1, Cumberland 1, Cumberlands 1.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
VISIT: XULAATHLETICS