Gold Rush survive Brown's 45, defeat Panthers 87-80

DENZELL ERVES SCORED CAREER BEST
 23 POINTS,13 REBOUNDS OVER PSC. 
ERVES IS A 6-7/205 JUNIOR FORWARD FROM
VICKSBURG H.S., VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI.

NEW ORLEANS -- Denzell Erves' career-best 23 points and 13 rebounds Monday helped NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana rally in the second half for an 87-80 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Philander Smith.

The Gold Rush (13-5 overall, 4-1 GCAC) survived a career-best 45 points by senior guard Ken Brown of Philander Smith (7-11, 2-3).

Erves recorded his third double-double of the season and fourth of his career. The junior forward had 17 points and nine rebounds in the second half.

Brown, NAIA Division I's scoring leader with more than 30 points per game, was 11-of-20 from the floor, 7-of-13 on 3-pointers and 16-of-19 from the line in 39 minutes. It was sixth his consecutive 30-point game and his second time this season to reach 40.

Brown scored 24 points in the first half to give the Panthers a 44-37 advantage at the break. But Xavier outshot the Panthers 46.7 to 29 percent from the floor in the second half and took the lead for good at 69-67 on Wanto Joseph's basket with 5:45 remaining. Chris Iles' 3-pointer with 4:19 remaining made it 79-70 and capped a 14-3 Xavier run.

Cordell Hadnot had 12 points and eight rebounds for Xavier, which won its third in a row and for the sixth time in seven games. Xavier won for the 29th time in its past 33 games at The Barn. Iles had 11 points and six assists, and Joseph had nine points and five assists.

Brandon Bell scored 16 points for Philander Smith, and Damarkus Lipscomb had 13 points, four assists and five steals. Jaron Egbe led the Panthers with 11 rebounds.

For the game Xavier outshot the Panthers 49.1 to 39.3 percent from the floor and outrebounded then 44-22. Philander Smith made 12 3-pointers -- three by Bell and two by Lipscomb -- and 24-of-30 free throws. Xavier made five 3-pointers -- two apiece by Iles and Jamaan Kenner -- and 28-of-34 free throws.

Xavier beat Philander Smith for the second time in 10 days and improved to 8-0 all-time against the Panthers. Brown scored 33 points at home Jan. 7 in Xavier's 76-70 victory.

Both teams will play GCAC home games at 7 p.m. Saturday. Xavier will play Talladega, and Philander Smith will play SUNO, the GCAC leader by a half-game over Xavier and Tougaloo.

BOX SCORE

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director

VISIT: XULAATHLETICS 

VISIT: XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA