Both XU teams will open with Fisk in GCAC tournaments

NEW ORLEANS — It will be a double-dose of Xavier University of Louisiana vs. Fisk in Thursday's opening round of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference basketball tournaments at Jacksonville, Fla.

XU's women, 22-8 and seeded first in their bracket, will play eighth-seeded Fisk (4-24) at 10 a.m. EST. XU's men — 22-7 and seeded second after losing a Sunday coin flip with Tougaloo for the top seed — will play seventh-seeded Fisk (6-22) at 4 p.m. EST.

Both games will be played at Edward Waters College's Adams-Jenkins Sports and Music Complex. That facility will play host to six of Thursday's eight games and all Friday and Saturday games.

The Gold Nuggets secured their seed and earned the regular-season championship by a game over Talladega by winning 59-53 at Dillard on Saturday. The Gold Rush also won at Dillard, shooting 53.1 percent from the floor in a wire-to-wire 67-43 decision, and grabbed a share of the GCAC men's regular-season title with Tougaloo, a 71-65 loser at SUNO.

It's the first time since 2003-04 that both XU teams won GCAC titles in the same regular season.

The XU men split their two regular-season meetings with Tougaloo. The coin flip was necessary because the Rush and Bulldogs had identical records against each of the other already determined seeds. The tie for fourth place between Philander Smith and Talladega was not determined until after the coin flip for No. 1. After Tougaloo won the flip — Bulldogs coach Lafayette Stribling successfully called heads — Philander Smith earned the No. 4 seed by virtue of a 1-1 record against Tougaloo. Talladega was 0-2 against the Bulldogs.

Both XU teams were 2-0 against Fisk in the regular season. The Gold Nuggets won 71-28 at home on Jan. 14 and 81-50 at Fisk this past Monday. The Gold Rush won 65-58 at home and 74-50 at Fisk on the same dates.

If the XU women win Thursday, they'll play fourth-seeded Dillard or fifth-seeded Tougaloo in the semifinals at 2 p.m. EST Friday. If the XU men advance, they'll face third-seeded SUNO or sixth-seeded Edward Waters at 8 p.m. Friday.

The championship games will be Saturday, with the women playing at noon EST and the men to follow at 2 p.m.

The Gold Nuggets defeated Tougaloo 71-44 in 2011 to win their second consecutive GCAC Tournament. Tougaloo beat Xavier 93-80 in overtime for the men's championship.

Both tournament champions will receive automatic bids to the NAIA Division I National Championships, which will begin March 14. The men's tournament will return to Kansas City, Mo., for the 11th consecutive year and celebrate its 75th anniversary. The women's tournament will begin a three-year run in Frankfort, Ky., after being played in Jackson, Tenn., the past 22 years.

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournaments

at Jacksonville, Fla. — all times Eastern

WOMEN

Thursday, March 1
Quarterfinals (First Round)
Xavier (22-8, #1 seed) vs. Fisk (4-24, #8 seed), 10 a.m.
• Dillard (13-11, #4 seed) vs. Tougaloo (14-13, #5 seed), 10 a.m.
Talladega (20-7, #2 seed) vs. Philander Smith (5-24, #7 seed), 2 p.m.
SUNO (13-10, #3 seed) vs. Edward Waters (9-22, #6 seed) 6 p.m.

Friday, March 2
Semifinals

Xavier-Fisk winner vs. Dillard-Tougaloo winner, 2 p.m.
Talladega-Philander Smith winner vs. SUNO-Edward Waters winner, 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 3
Championship
Semifinal winners meet at noon

MEN

Thursday, March 1
Quarterfinals (First Round)
Tougaloo (21-7, #1 seed) vs. Dillard (1-28, #8 seed), noon
• Philander Smith (14-14, #4 seed) vs. Talladega (11-18, #5 seed), noon
Xavier (22-7, #2 seed) vs. Fisk (6-22, #7 seed), 4 p.m.
SUNO (14-13, #3 seed) vs. Edward Waters (11-17, #6 seed) 8 p.m.

Friday, March 2
Semifinals
Tougaloo-Dillard winner vs. Philander Smith-Talladega winner, 4 p.m.
Xavier-Fisk winner vs. SUNO-Edward Waters winner, 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 3
Championship

Semifinal winners meet at 2 p.m.
• Game to be played at Florida State College (south campus) Sports Center; all other games to be played at Edward Waters College's Adams-Jenkins Sports and Music Complex.

 

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