XU Gold Rush fight the power, outlast Talladega

NEW ORLEANS -- Chris Iles and Denzell Erves scored 14 points apiece Saturday to lead NAIA No. 19 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 77-64 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Talladega.

The Gold Rush (14-5 overall, 5-1 GCAC) won for the fourth straight time to tie a season high and for the seventh time in eight games.

The game was completed after a partial power outage which occurred with 4:39 remaining and caused a 46-minute delay.

Cordell Hadnot scored 10 points for Xavier, which led 39-36 at halftime.

Kerry Harvis and Ivan Sostanic scored 18 points apiece for Talladega.

Tarium Taylor's 3-point play in the first minute of the second half tied the score at 39, and the Tornadoes grabbed their only lead of the half, 58-57, on Christopher Hyche's basket with 8:42 remaining. But Iles and Erves combined for all the points in an 11-2 run during the next five minutes.

Xavier led 66-60 when about half the lights and both scoreboards lost power. The game was completed with partial lighting and a spare portable scoreboard and clock. The Gold Rush outscored Talladega 11-4 after the delay.

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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