Xavier's Denzell Erves selected GCAC Player of the Week

NEW ORLEANS — Denzell Erves is a can't-miss winner.

The Xavier University of Louisiana junior, who made all 10 of his shots from the floor Wednesday in a season-opening victory against Carver, is the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball for Oct. 31-Nov. 6.

He's the GCAC's first honoree of 2011-12 in that sport.

Erves, a 6-foot-7 forward from Vicksburg, Miss., and a graduate of Vicksburg High School, did not attempt a 3-pointer or a free throw. He was 6-of-6 from the floor in the first half and finished with a career-high 20 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes. It's his second double-double with the Gold Rush.

Xavier defeated Carver 88-69 for its 16th consecutive victory in a season opener.

Erves is the second Gold Rush player to reach 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game since the start of the 2008-09 season and the first to do it at The Barn since Jarrel Lake had 20 points and 11 rebounds against Wiley on Nov. 10, 2007.

Eugene Johnson set the Gold Rush record for field-goal accuracy when he made all 13 of his attempts against West Alabama on Jan. 6, 1981. The best perfect-floor-shooting night for the Gold Rush this past season was Wanto Joseph's 7-of-7 against Tougaloo at The Barn on Jan. 22.

This is Erves' first GCAC weekly award. The Gold Rush earned the honor three times in 2010-11, including current XU players Jamaan Kenner and Anthony Simmons.

Xavier is playing tonight at seventh-ranked Vanderbilt — the second exhibition game in three days for the Gold Rush against an NCAA Division I opponent — before returning home to play St. Thomas (Fla.) at 6 p.m. Friday at The Barn. The St. Thomas game will tip off one hour earlier than originally announced.


By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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