It'll be a top-25 matchup when XU Gold Rush meet PSC Panthers

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — Xavier University of Louisiana and Philander Smith share more than just first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference. They're both in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, which was announced Tuesday. Xavier is 13th — up three places and matching its highest position of the season — and Philander Smith is 22nd and in its first top-25 appearance this season.

The Gold Rush (16-3 overall, 4-0 GCAC) and Panthers (13-4, 4-0) will meet at noon Saturday at XU's new Convocation Center to break the tie for first place. The loser will have sole possession of second place.

Philander Smith will be the first ranked opponent to play the Gold Rush at the Convocation Center. The Panthers will be Xavier's first ranked home opponent since XU rallied from 16 down to defeat No. 18 Tougaloo in the final game at The Barn nearly a year ago.

Xavier is in the top 25 for the 29th time in 30 polls and the 54th time overall during Dannton Jackson's 10 seasons as head coach.

Wanto Joseph's basket with 0.7 seconds remaining in overtime Monday gave the Gold Rush a 70-68 home victory against city rival SUNO, another GCAC team which received votes this week. Xavier will enter Saturday's game with a five-game win streak. Philander Smith has won nine in a row.
    
Voting was based on games through Sunday. The next poll will be released Jan. 22.

NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll (first-place votes in parentheses — records through Sunday, Jan. 13) Rank Team Record Points Last 1 Columbia (Mo.) (11) 17-0 281 2 2 Pikeville 17-1 271 5 3 Lewis-Clark State 18-1 256 3 4 William Carey 15-2 254 6 5 Oklahoma Baptist 15-3 252 4 6 Lee (Tenn.) 15-1 232 7 7 Westmont 14-3 222 8 8-tie Cal State San Marcos 15-4 209 tie-10 8-tie Lindsey Wilson 16-2 209 14 10 John Brown 15-3 188 25 11 Evangel 13-4 187 13 12 Montana State Northern 16-3 181 tie-10 13 Xavier 15-3 173 16 14 Cumberlands 15-3 168 1 15 Bethel (Tenn.) 17-2 166 17 16 Hope International 17-1 145 RV 17 Southwestern Assemblies of God 14-3 142 21 18 Emmanuel (Ga.) 16-2 121 20 19 Westminster (Utah) 14-4 120 18 20 Rogers State 13-5 119 19 21 Faulkner 16-3 82 23 22 Philander Smith 12-4 78 RV 23 Science & Arts 8-4 77 9 24 Texas College 13-4 76 tie-10 25 MidAmerica Nazarene 14-5 74 RV Others receiving votes: Arizona Christian 60, Concordia (Calif.) 34, Texas Wesleyan 31, SUNO 28, Oklahoma City 18, Culver-Stockton 13, Shawnee State 9, LSU-Shreveport 7, Mid-Continent 3. By Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA XULAATHLETICS