Rush win on road with another second-half comeback

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Wanto Joseph scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half Monday to rally NAIA No. 16 Xavier University of Louisiana to a 70-66 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference men's basketball victory against Talladega.

The Gold Rush (14-3 overall, 2-0 GCAC) won a conference road game for the second time in three days after trailing by four at halftime. It was Xavier's third consecutive victory and its eighth in nine road games this season.

It was the third time this season that Joseph scored 25 or more points. The 5-foot-9 senior guard has scored in double figures in every game this season.

Xavier outscored the Tornadoes (6-6, 1-1) 35-27 in the second half after trailing 39-35 at halftime. Talladega's biggest first-half lead was 12 points.

"I don't care what Talladega's record is. They're a very good team with good size," XU coach Dannton Jackson said. "Our guys are trying to get better. We grew up a little tonight. It was standing-room-only in a small gym. Talladega's band was behind our bench. It was a loud and festive atmosphere."

Anthony Simmons scored 13 points for the Gold Rush, and Renard Smith had 12 points, a career-high-tying six rebounds and a career-best five assists. Denzell Erves missed his fourth consecutive double-double but finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

Darrion Booker and Jimmie Davis each scored 18 points for Talladega, which won 84-64 at home against the Gold Rush a year ago.

Xavier outshout Talladega 67 to 30 percent from the floor in the second half. "We got some big stops down the stretch," Jackson said. "Our defense did a good job locating shooters."

For the game, Xavier shot 46 percent from the floor, 66.7 percent from the line (20-of-30) and committed 18 turnovers. The Gold Rush made four 3-pointers. Each team grabbed 32 rebounds.

The Gold Rush share first place in the GCAC with Philander Smith, an 84-81 winner in double overtime at home against Tougaloo. Xavier's next game will start at 5 p.m. Saturday against Tougaloo at XU's new Convocation Center. It will be the first Gold Rush home game in more than a month.

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