Gold Rush lose 84-64 at Talladega but still second in GCAC

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Talladega defeated NAIA No. 25 Xavier University of Louisiana 84-64 in a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball game Saturday.

The Tornadoes (8-16 overall, 6-4 GCAC) ended the four-game win streak of the Gold Rush (18-7, 7-3). Xavier dropped to 2½ games behind conference leader Tougaloo, which won at Dillard, but held on to second place when SUNO lost at Edward Waters.

Xavier suffered its biggest loss in a GCAC game since a 71-45 defeat at Tougaloo on Feb. 12, 2009.

Talladega, in the first season of its second stint as a GCAC member, gained a regular-season split with Xavier, which beat the Tornadoes 77-64 at The Barn on Jan. 21.

The Gold Rush will play Tougaloo at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the final XU basketball game at The Barn, which opened in 1937. It will be senior night for Cordell Hadnot, Chris Iles, Jamaan Kenner and Jeremy Lee. Tougaloo can clinch the GCAC regular-season championship with a victory.

BY ED CASSIERE, SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR

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