NEW ORLEANS -- Nine victories in the first 10 games helped Xavier University of Louisiana climb six spots to 13th Tuesday in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll.
The poll is the first since the NAIA announced preseason rankings Oct. 23. The next two polls will be announced Dec. 11 and Jan. 8.
The Gold Rush defeated NCAA Division II opponents Morehouse and Tuskegee en route to a 6-0 start. William Carey won 78-68 at Xavier on Nov. 19, but since then Xavier won three in a row to give Dannton Jackson his sixth start of 9-1 or better in 10 seasons as head coach.
Xavier is in the top 25 for the 13th consecutive time and the 26th time in 27 polls.
Oklahoma Baptist is No. 1. One of Xavier's city and Gulf Coast Athletic Conference rivals, SUNO, climbed three places to 21st. A third GCAC school, second-year member Philander Smith, received three points to tie for 34th. William Carey, which received no votes in the preseason, is 15th.
Coupled with Xavier's No. 10 position in the new women's poll, it's the first time since Feb. 7, 2011 -- and just the second time since the start of the 2004-05 season -- that both XU basketball teams are among the NAIA's top 13.
Both XU teams will play city rival Loyola on Wednesday at the Convocation Center. The men will tip off at 7:30 p.m. and follow a 5:30 women's game. Loyola was the other school to receive three points in the men's poll.
By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director
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