Last-place Fisk pushes Gold Rush back into first-place tie

NEW ORLEANS -- Xavier University of Louisiana grabbed sole possession of first place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference on Saturday. But on Monday the Gold Rush were sharing again.

Brandyn Mungo scored 14 of his career-high 27 points during a second-half rally which gave Fisk a 74-65 men's basketball victory and snapped Xavier's six-game win streak.

The Gold Rush (17-4 overall, 5-1 GCAC), ranked 13th in NAIA Division I, share the conference lead with 22nd-ranked Philander Smith, a 102-80 winner at Dillard. Xavier had broken a tie at the top two days earlier by defeating Philander Smith 84-79. New NAIA rankings will be announced late Tuesday afternoon.

Xavier led 49-37 after Renard Smith's basket with 14:28 remaining, but Fisk (4-12, 1-5), which began the day in sole possession of last place, outscored the Rush 37-16 the rest of the way -- 21-8 in the final five minutes.

The Bulldogs didn't miss a shot in the final three minutes, a streak which began when Mungo -- a senior in his first season at Fisk after transferring from NCAA Division II Ferris State -- passed to Bradley Grayson for a 3-pointer which put Fisk ahead to stay, 62-61, at 2:50. Fisk made eight consecutive free throws in the final 40 seconds.

Jewaun Wynn scored 15 points, Cameron Lewis 13 and Grayson 12 for Fisk, a third-year member which won for the fourth time in 24 GCAC regular-season games. Grayson scored all his points in the final 11½ minutes.

Smith scored 20 points -- he made four 3-pointers -- and Anthony Simmons 18 for Xavier. Denzell Erves recorded his 13th double-double this season, 16 points and 14 rebounds. But senior guard Wanto Joseph, Xavier's leading scorer, did not start and finished with no points -- 0-of-7 from the floor, 0-of-1 from the line -- and five assists in 20 minutes. Joseph averaged 17.7 points and 11 assists in the previous three games.

Fisk made nine 3-pointers -- five by Mungo, three by Lewis -- and outshot Xavier 46.9 to 43.1 percent from the floor. The Gold Rush outrebounded Fisk 41-21 and had a 17-0 advantage in second-chance points, but the Bulldogs' bench outscored Xavier's 39-8.

Smith scored 16 points to lead Xavier to a 33-32 halftime advantage.

Fisk finally broke through for a conference victory after 2-point losses to Tougaloo and Edward Waters and a 3-point loss to SUNO. The Bulldogs' average losing margin in nine losses to NAIA opponents this season was 5.2 points.

Xavier's next game will start at 7 p.m. Saturday at GCAC and city rival Dillard. Fisk and Dillard share last place in the conference.

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