XU Rush extend state record; Jackson closes in on 200 wins

JACKSONVILLE, Florida — Anthony Simmons scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds Saturday to help NAIA No. 25 Xavier University of Louisiana earn a 68-57 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Edward Waters.

The Gold Rush (20-7 overall, 9-3 GCAC) reached 20 victories for the second straight year and the 27th time overall to extend XU's Louisiana men's collegiate record. Dannton Jackson reached 20 victories for the seventh time in his nine seasons as XU's head coach. Jackson is 199-88 at Xavier and can become the third consecutive Gold Rush coach to reach 200 victories when XU visits Fisk at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

ANTHONY SIMMONS

Jamaan Kenner matched his season high of 12 points for the Rush, and Denzell Erves had 10 points and 11 rebounds for his team-leading fifth double-double of the season. It's the first time since Nov. 9, 2007 — when Kelechi Okoroha and current XU assistant coach Alfred Williams did it — that the Gold Rush had two players produce double-doubles in the same game.

Jermonte Bush scored 21 points for Edward Waters (11-15, 6-8), and Dylan Watts had 13.

Xavier scored the first four points and never lost the lead. The Rush led 41-26 at halftime — Kenner scored nine in the first half — and twice by 17 points in the first four minutes of the second half. Bush's two free throws with 8:49 remaining cut Xavier's lead to 55-49, but the Tigers did not draw closer.

The Gold Rush outshot the Tigers 45.9 to 33.3 percent from the floor and outrebounded them 48-29.

Xavier won for the sixth time in seven games and is 8-0 this season when allowing fewer than 60 points. The Rush completed a two-game regular-season sweep of Edward Waters.

Xavier's women defeated Edward Waters 60-53 prior to the men's game for their 20th victory of the season. It's the 15th time the Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets reached 20 victories in the same season and the first time since 2004 that both reached 20 on the same day.

BOX SCORE

By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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