20-point performances help XU Simmons earn GCAC award

NEW ORLEANS — Back-to-back 20-point performances — the first of his career — helped Xavier University of Louisiana's Anthony Simmons earn Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week in men's basketball for Jan. 14-20.

Simmons, a 6-foot-8 senior forward from Rochester, N.Y., and a graduate of Allendale Columbia School, averaged 21.5 points, five rebounds and three steals and shot 76.2 percent from the floor and 78.6 percent from the line in GCAC home victories against SUNO and NAIA-ranked Philander Smith. Simmons matched his season high of 20 points and had a career-best five steals — the most in a game by a Xavier player this season — in a 70-68 overtime decision over SUNO, then exceeded his scoring high with 23 points in an 84-79 victory against Philander Smith.

This is the fourth time that Simmons received the GCAC award. He won it as a sophomore and twice as a junior.

Simmons has started 20-of-21 games this season, averaged 12.9 points and 7.7 rebounds and shot 63.5 percent from the floor. He has shot 62 percent from the floor in his career to rank second all-time at Xavier. Simmons is 19th at XU with 516 career rebounds.
    
The Gold Rush have accounted for five of the GCAC's 11 weekly awards this season. Philander Smith has four, and SUNO and Talladega have one each. XU's Denzell Erves and Wanto Joseph have won twice each.
    
Xavier — ranked 11th in NAIA Division I, 17-4 overall and the GCAC co-leader with Philander Smith at 5-1 — will visit conference and city rival Dillard at 7 p.m. Saturday.

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